Police file terrorism charges against army Captain, Taraba kidnap kingpin

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has slammed a16-count charge bordering on terrorism, murder, kidnapping and gun-running against Taraba kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, also known as Wadume, Captain Tijjani Balarabe and 18 others.

Also, on the list of defendants are Staff Sgt. David Isaiah; Sgt. Ibrahim Mohammed; Corporal Bartholomew Obanye; Private Mohammed Nura; Lance Corporal Okorozie Gideon; Corporal Markus Michael; L/Corporal Nvenaweimoeimi Akpagra; Staff Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu; Private Ebele Emmanuel; ASP Aondona Iorbee and Inspector Aliyu Dadje and Auwalu Bala, aka Omo Razor.

Others in the charge sheet are Uba Bala (aka Uba Belu); Ahmad Suleiman (aka Dan Ball); Bashir Waziri, (aka Baba runs); Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho); Hafizu Bala (aka Maiwelder); and Rayyanu Abdul.

They were charged for the killing of three policemen and two civilians attached to the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, who had gone to Ibi, Taraba State, to arrest the kidnap kingpin.

Five other police officers were injured in the attack by soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Takum, led by Capt Balarabe, on August 6, 2019.

READ: Soldiers kill 3 Policemen, free notorious wanted kidnapper in Taraba State

The attack led to the escape of the kidnap kingpin who was later re-arrested at a village in Kano.

Vanguard reports that the criminal charge dated February 3, 2020, which is coming six months after the incident, was filed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Simon Lough; Anthony Egwu, and Peter Amadi, all of the Legal/Prosecution Section, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

It was learnt that the charges against the suspects would be filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, this week.

Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, had on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari, constituted a panel to investigate the circumstances that led to the killing of the three Police operatives of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

The panel’s report culminated in the charges filed against the suspects by the Police.