Madume, Kidnap Kingpin, Released, Receives Hero's Welcomenin Taraba Home Town

Jailed kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, better known as Wadume, was on Saturday, released from the Kuje prison, Abuja, after serving his jail term.

 Reports say that the convicted kidnapper, who arrived Ibbi, his home town in Taraba state on Sunday, was given a hero's welcome as he was received by a large crowd of his kinsmen, mostly youths and women.

Described as a philanthropist, Wadume was reportedly driven round Ibbi town, said to have stood still in his honour, before proceeding to pay homage to the Chief of the town, identified as Salihu Danbawuro, in his palace.

While there, he reportedly told the traditional ruler that he was at the palace to thank the chief and the entire people of his chief Dom, aware that the chief and his subjects stood firmly with him and prayed for his safety and good health throughout his trial and while in prison.

In his response, the traditional ruler told Wadume that he and his subjects were happy that he was out of prison. It would be recalled that Wadume was arrested by men of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, of Inspector-General of Police, in 2019.

While he was being arrested, he was alleged to have enlisted the support of a Nigerian Army Captain, who aided his escape from Police custody by stopping the vehicle conveying the arrested Kidnapper and IRT team at a military checkpoint. Therein the car was riddled with gunfire, team operatives labelled as Kidnappers and Madume set free.

Not done, residents of the town swooped on the disarmed police team, killing three of them and injuring others.

Thereafter, Madume went into hiding until he was smoked out by another IRT team led by now infamous and suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, from his Kano city hideout.