Wadume: Police Promise To Report Nigerian Army To President Buhari (See Why)

Nigerian Army Has Failed To Release Army Captain And Soldiers Indicted In Wadume’s Case

The Taraba kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly known as Wadume’s prosecution case has been stalled by the reluctance of the Nigerian Army to release the Army captain and soldiers indicted in the killing of three operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IGP-IRT.

Naija News recalls that investigations by the Nigerian Police investigating team, found an army captain and some soldiers of 93 battalions as well as some police personnel, including the Divisional Crime Officer of Ibbi Police Station, culpable in the kidnapping business. but consequently, the Force Headquarters wrote to Army Headquarters, requesting that the Army Captain, Tijanni Balarabe, and the indicted soldiers be released to the Police to enable the prosecutors to file charges against them and other police officers involved in the killing of the IRT operatives.

But months after the request was made, the Army authorities have refused to either respond to the Police request or make any effort to release the Army personnel involved.

‘Indicted Army captain’s promotion halted’

However, sources disclosed to Vanguard that the Army captain who was relocated after the incident for internal investigation procedures may have started paying the price for his involvement in the Taraba killings as his promotion to the rank of Major had been cancelled.

It was gathered that his name was on the list of captains to be promoted to the rank of major and sent to the promotion board.

While screening the officers for eligibility, the promotion board was said to have noticed Captain Balarabe’s name on the list and skipped his name as there were unanswered questions about his conduct in the Wadume controversy.

It was further gathered that the Police authorities are holding back on the next line of action so as not to give the impression that the Taraba incident was being personalized or that it was a Police affair rather than a national issue.

Already, President Muhammad Buhari who ordered the setting up of a panel of inquiry to investigate the matter had ordered that persons found complicit in the saga be made to face the law.

This was after he was presented with the Defence Headquarters committee’s report on the investigation. A source disclosed that if the Army authorities continue to disregard Police request to send the officer and soldiers involved for charges and prosecution incompetent courts, the Police might be forced to communicate directly to the Commander-in-Chief that his directive was being flouted.

“The Police are trying everything to prevent a situation where accusations of inter-service rivalry will come up again. Towards ensuring synergy among the two security agencies, we even copied the Army the report of the investigations to show transparency but this is not being reciprocated,” a source said.