Nigerians React As Wadume Sentenced To Seven Years Imprisonment

Nigerians have reacted to the sentencing of kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly known as Wadume.

Naija News earlier reported that the kidnap kingpin was sentenced to seven years imprisonment without an option of a fine.

The judgement was passed by Justice Binta Nyako after the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the Federal Government filed 13-count charges against him.

Justice Nyako sentenced Wadume to prison after convicting him of counts two and 10 out of the charges levelled against him.

Wadume was convicted of escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms.

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 Waziri (aka baba runs), Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.

Justice Nyako, in the judgement delivered on the 22nd of July, 2022, but spotted on Sunday, upheld the case of the prosecution team as it relates to five out of the seven defendants.

Inspector Dadje was also convicted by Justice Nyako and sentenced to three years for tampering with police records to conceal a crime.

However, Nigerians have taken to the micro-blogging platform, Twitter, to react to the sentence of the kidnap kingpin.

See some of the reactions below.

@comradephils wrote: “7 years only for kidnapping and killing people? Can we call this justice?”

@diiphillipo wrote: “Kidnapper that even had soldiers kill police officers to free him got 7 years. The worst part was he was discharged and acquitted on murder and kidnapping charges.”

@egwuatulam wrote: “This guy’s kind of kidnapping is the same as Evans. They kidnap and live with the people in the city. So how come Evans got life imprisonment and he got seven years?”

@oluseed wrote: “Just that? The prosecuting counsel couldn’t do their job well or what? Do you guys want us to believe this is stringent enough to deter others from perpetrating the same crime?”

@Mistonsig wrote: “How many years has he spent in prison out of the 7 years sentence? He will now spend the rest and continue from where he stopped after release. This definitely has a political undertone. God dey.”

@Okohpp wrote: “He was discharged & acquitted on murder and kidnapping. Only on illegal possession of firearm.

“Reason: His comrades in Police & Army formation bungled the evidence based on his tribe & ethnicity. Many involved are Fulanis.”

@calebpeter20 wrote: “So u are telling us that a Notorious kidnap will spend 3years and 6 month in prison, wow what a pity to the judiciary system.., this kind of judgment is to promote crime in the land. Who did we offend in this country.”

@ArewaaConnect wrote: “Just 7 years, this shows how unserious how judiciary system is, Buhari might be part of Nigeria’s problem but he is not Nigeria’s problem as we all shout.“