By Suleiman Umaru
More facts have emerged how Hamisu Bala, a fish seller and Kidnap kingpin in Taraba sate, north east geo-political region, who has been trailed over the last two years because f his criminal activities in the state was nabbed by Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Intelligence Response Team, IRT.
Bala, according to security sources , who goes by the nickname, ‘’Why do you mean ‘’, which people mistook to mean Wadume, was said to have played into police hands through one of his close associates in the kidnap business, Karba who was arrested in Jalingo, the state Capita over his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a Permanent Secretary in the state.
The suspect was said to have opened up during interrogation that the 35 year-old Bala, has become a millionaire through the Kidnap business was the leader of the gang in the state. Given the clue, the police team were said to have gone back to the drawing board to perfect plans to arrest him without failing. They knew that the operation could be boggled if they failed to carry Kwarba along. They have no option that to treat him with kids globe to make him feel at home into volunteer more information that would help them in their investigation.
Given the encouragement to the Bala gang member already in police net, he was said to have opened up a channel of Communication with him through regular phone calls without interrupting their discussion which was closely monitored.
The Value News learnt that for the three days, the suspect was in IRT Custody guarded by heavily armed policemen. He was allowed a hold discussion with the kidnap gang leader but refused to disclose the location where he was to avoid giving him room for escape.
Security watchers believe that Kawrba may not have opened up to him as he may not wanted to suffer alone. He was said to have played along with him going by the instructions of the police Team. Based on their daily discussions the police team were able to get useful information that could lead to his arrest.
Based on the duo discussion , he was said to have disclosed that he would be coming to Ibi, Headquarter of Ibi local government Area , which incidentally is his hometown for the Eid el Kabir Celebration.
Acting on the information, the police Team which was in touch with the state police Command were said to have to have sent to them to prepare or the operation at Ibi , the Taraba king ping home town. It was learnt he had sent out messages to the gang members to be at Ibi town for the Sallah festival. Unknown to him the bubble has burst as plain cloth policemen from the state police Command have laid ambush for him to ensure that he has no escape route .
When the Coast became clear to strike, the GP Team, were said to have embarked on the journey to Ibi, accompanied by Kwarba , who was said to have identified him at a Coffee joint, at the junction leading to the state government lodge, an indication that they may have insiders in the Government House who was feeding him with information on the movement of top officials .
Perhaps to avoid any exchange of bullet with the gang members who may have been with him at the Coffee joint, the policemen who disguised themselves vehicle dealers were said to have approached him that they have a bus for sale. Without questioning them to disclose their identity, he was said to have sought to know the cost of the bus in order to buy it.
Given low mentality, the policemen were said to have convinced him that thy would need to step aside to conclude the negotiation for the sale of the vehicle to avoid distraction. He was said to have followed the policemen who forced him to enter into a bus and finally showed their identity that they were in the state to arrest him after handcuffing and chaining his legs.
It was clinically done without any resistance as they never allowed him to in contact with Kwarba which may have emboldened him to resist the arrest. Some of the gang members who may have been with him at the Coffee location and watched what has happened to their leader knew the game was up as they quickly took to their heels.
Trouble may have started for the police team who came for the Ibi operation when the suspected kidnapper gang leader forced his head of the bus and shouted ‘’ I have been kidnapped by these people’’. The rumour was said to have spread like wildfire in the town as some of his boys were said to have mounted motor bikes to chase the police vehicle that came for him.
The police team may have succeeded in beating the first and second military checkpoints on the road to Jalingo Ibi but were not lucky with the third checkpoint. His boys were said to have alerted the soldiers at the checkpoint who quickly laid ambush for the police team. On citing the bus, the soldiers were said to have opened fire on it forcing it to somersault into the bush as the police driver lost control of the wheels.Note that three policemen and a Civilian were killed in the process. It was an opportunity for Bala, the kidnap kingpin, who was handcuffed and chained on the legs to escape.
He was said to have crawled to a location where he could easily get help. Channels Television reports that he took refuge in the home of an old Jukun woman. He could not have entered into a Tiv man’s house for fear that he may be exposed him to security Operatives who apprehend him again.
It was a clever decision as he was said to have called his Army Captain friend who quickly rushed down to the old woman’s home based on the description given to him with three other soldiers. The Captain was said to have removed the handcuffs and unchained his leg. The Army Captain did not stop there. He was said to have dropped him at his Ibi Home and left.
He may have taken advantage of the people’s jubilation over his return to escape to an undisclosed location. As at press time neither the soldiers nor the police Team have set eye on him to facilitate his rear rest. Top officials of the state police Command appear unsettled over the disappearance of the 35 year-old Bala, the notorious kidnapper thus attracting the attention of the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and the Force spokesperson, has demanded the whereabouts of the kidnap kingpin suspect who was said to have been freed by the Army. The question on the lips of most peoples is : why should the Army Captain cut the handcuff and chains on his legs without alerting the police? .
The Army , however in their desperate bid to justify their action at the Checkpoint claimed that the policemen were on illegal assignment in the state as they mistook them to be kidnappers but Mba described the Statement as ‘’insensitive, disrespectful and unpatriotic’’.
He was said to have made it clear to those that cares to listen that the police team had done nothing wrong as they were in Taraba state to arrest Bala, a kidnap suspect who has been indicted in a series of high profile cases in the state.
Given the involvement of the Army in the escape of the millionaire kidnapper , the Police Authorities fear that he might be killed by the soldiers to frustrate their investigation into his criminal activities in the state. Police top shots believe that since he case has turned against the Army in all its ramifications, they may do everything within their powers to kill him if they get at him first in order to make it impossible for detectives to get to the root of the matter and further establishing the suspicion of the connection between the Taraba kidnapper kingpin and the soldiers who rescued him from the police Team .