Crime
Court Jails Notorious Kidnap Kingpin, Wadume
Court Jails Notorious Kidnap Kingpin, Wadume
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced notorious kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly known as Wadume, to seven years imprisonment without option of fine on Monday.
Wadume was convicted of escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms.
Wadume, a suspected Nigerian kidnap-for-ransom kingpin, based in Taraba State but operated across Northeast, was arrested in August 2019 by the Nigerian Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Justice Binta Nyako convicted Wadume on counts two and 10 of the 13-count charge brought against him and six others by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on behalf of the Federal Government.
Other defendants in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/30/2020 are: Aliyu Dadje (a police inspector), Auwalu Bala (aka omo razor), Uba Bala (aka Uba Delu), Bashir Wazlri (aka baba runs), Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.
Justice Nyako, in the judgment delivered on July 22 this year, upheld the case of the prosecution team, which included Labaran Magaji and Mrs. Yetunde Cole, as it relates to five out of the seven defendants.
Justice Nyako also convicted and sentenced Inspector Dadje to three years on count seven, in which he was accused of tampering with police record to conceal a crime.
Dadje, who was a Station Officer at the Ibi Divisional Police Headquarters, Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State was said to have, in August 2019, “willfully tampered with the entry made by the leader of the IGP IRT team, Inspector Felix Adolije, by tearing off the entry page to cover up for Captain Tijani Ahmed Balarabe and his team” upon knowing that an offence of terrorism had been committed by Capt. Balarabe and his team, who attacked and killed three members of the IGP IRT team and two civilians who were in Ibi, Taraba State to make lawful arrest.
Justice Nyako equally convicted and sentenced Uba Bala (aka Uba Delu) and Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) to seven years each on counts three, four, five, six and 11.
The duo, in the four counts, were charged with illegal possession and unlawful dealing in prohibited firearms and ammunition.
Justice Nyako also convicted and sentenced Abdul to three years for harbouring Wadume in his house in Kano after Wadume’s escape from police custody in Ibi.
The judge struck out count one, in which Wadume was charged with kidnaping Usman Garba (aka Mayo) and collecting N106million before releasing him.
She however discharged and acquitted Auwalu Bala (aka Omo Razor) and Bashir Wazlri (aka Baba Runs), who were listed as the 3rd and 5th defendants, for want of evidence.
Court Jails Notorious Kidnap Kingpin, Wadume
Police arrest four Liberians over alleged visa fraud in Lagos
By: Zagazola Makama
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four Liberian nationals over an alleged visa fraud case in Ikorodu area of the state.
According to security sources, police received information at about 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 that some Liberian nationals were engaged in a serious dispute at their base in the Mowonla area of Ikorodu.
“Based on the report, a team of police personnel was immediately mobilised to the scene. On arrival, four Liberian nationals were arrested and brought to the station for investigation,” the sources said.
The suspects were identified as Rebecca Mollie, 30; Joseph Brisbane, 45; Bility Famba, 35; and Reina Kartec, 24.
During interrogation, Mollie alleged that in August 2025, one Patrick Charman, a 47-year-old Liberian national, lured her from Liberia to Nigeria on the pretext that he was based in Australia and could facilitate her travel from Nigeria to Australia.
She said Charman demanded and collected 1,500 dollars from her for visa arrangements.
Mollie further alleged that upon arrival in Nigeria, she was received by another Liberian national, Naomi Koso, 36, who collected an additional 1,290 dollars from her for continued visa processing.
“The complainant stated that she later realised she had been defrauded and demanded a refund of her money to enable her return to Liberia,” the security sources added.
The police said the four suspects are currently being detained, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend Patrick Charman and Naomi Koso.
Investigation into the case is in progress, the sources said.
Police arrest four Liberians over alleged visa fraud in Lagos
Bandits ambush joint security team in Zamfara, officials trapped
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected armed bandits on Monday ambushed a joint security team, including the Chairman of Tsafe Local Government Area, along the Kunchin Kalgo–Danjibga road in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State, the police have said.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 20.
According to the sources, the joint team was travelling to Danjibga to reunite some villagers from the Keta area who had recently regained their freedom from their abductors when the attack occurred.
The suspected bandits, who appeared to have had prior knowledge of the movement of the team, laid an ambush along the route.
The sources added that following the attack, the local government chairman and members of his entourage were trapped in Danjibga, with some persons feared kidnapped, while some vehicles were believed to have been set ablaze.
The sources said reinforcements had been dispatched to the area to secure the release of those trapped and restore normalcy.
Efforts are ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the incident, while security forces have intensified operations in the area, the sources added.
Bandits ambush joint security team in Zamfara, officials trapped
Troops arrest three suspected ISWAP recruitment agents in Banki
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested three suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) recruitment agents in Banki town, Borno State.
Sources told the Zagazola Makama that the suspects were arrested on Jan. 17 following a tip-off from the Banki District Head.
The sources said intelligence operatives were deployed to Banki on a covert operation, where they apprehended the suspects while attempting to recruit and move youths for terrorist training.
“They were identified as Gajibo Kayama, 23; Tahiru Modu, 22; and Bulama Modu, 24. They are suspected to be involved in the recruitment of youths aged between 17 and 20 from Banki town for ISWAP elements operating in Adamawa State,” the source said.
According to preliminary investigations, the suspects were former ISWAP members who claimed to have repented about five years ago but were allegedly re-engaging in recruitment activities.
“They were arrested while trying to recruit and convey youths within Banki town for training in Adamawa State,” the source added.
The suspects have since been handed over to Military Intelligence Regiment for detailed interrogation and further action.
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