THE operatives of the Nigerian Police on Tuesday re-arrested suspected kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala Wadume in his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano state.

The police confirmed this in a statement, signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba in Abuja.

Wadume escaped from the custody of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) operatives when they came under attack from soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Takum, Taraba State, as they conveyed the kidnap suspect from the scene of his arrest.

The Nigerian Army later in a statement said that soldiers attacked the IRT operatives when they mistook them for criminals, following a distress call they had received.

In the said attack, three policemen and a civilian were killed, while five other operatives sustained injuries.

Wadume also disclosed in a now trending video of how he was released by men of the Nigerian Army.

He said, “I am Hamisu Bala also known as Wadume. The police came to Ibi and arrested me.

“After arresting me, they were taking away when soldiers went after them and opened fire and some policemen were killed.

“From there the soldiers took me to their headquarters and cut off the handcuffs on my hands and I ran away.

“Since I ran away, I have been hiding until now that the police arrested me.”

Police rearrest notorious kidnap kingpin Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wudume. pic.twitter.com/ubFdMErLTc

— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) August 20, 2019

The Police in the statement announcing his arrest said Wadume was re-arrested in the late hours of yesterday, Monday, and he’s currently being held at the force headquarters in Abuja.

Wadume who was arrested on August 6, after a massive man hurt by the police, had incited the unfortunate incident which led to the clash between soldiers and operatives of the police.

Consequently, the clash led to the brutal murder of three police officers and two civilians, and five injured in the process.

Wadume was however restrained at the time of the incident and “subsequently released by “rescuers” after they had destroyed the restraining handcuff”.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Muhammed Adamu, while commending the Police operatives for their perseverance and painstaking efforts, has expressed his profound gratitude to all Nigerians for their unparalleled show of love and empathy to the Force and the families of the officers and patriotic civilians who paid the supreme price in the service of their fatherland.

Adamu noted that the re-arrest of Wadume, “will no doubt, help in bringing answers to the numerous but hitherto unanswered questions touching on the incident and the larger criminal enterprise of the suspect”.