Nigeria Police authorities may dismiss two of its officers after allegedly working with a suspected kidnap kingpin Hamisu Bala Wadume.

A top police source told The Guardian that the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Aondonna Iorbee, and Inspector Aliyu attached to Ibi police division might be dismissed for allegedly colluding with the criminal.

Wadume was rearrested by the police last Monday at his hideout in Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State. The police had earlier arrested Wadume on August 6 in Taraba State.

He escaped following a face-off between the police and Nigerian troops along Ibi–Jalingo Road, Taraba State. He claimed the troops helped him escape during the attack.

“On our way, soldiers followed us and opened fire on them,” Wadume said in a confessional video. “As a result, some policemen were killed.”

“The soldiers quickly rescued me and took me to a red saloon car and we drove off immediately,” he added.

Three policemen, including one Inspector and two Sergeants and one civilian, died during the attack while others sustained serious gunshot wounds.

He further revealed that the troops took him to one Captain Balarabe, who later called “the DCO of Ibi Police Division” for the hand-cuff keys.

“He came to the house and told the Captain that he could not find the key. They then brought an iron cutter and cut the handcuffs on my hands and legs,” Wadume alleged.

Further investigations by the police also showed that the crime officer made over 200 calls to Wadume while the station officer, Aliyu, allegedly destroyed evidence showing that the Intelligence Response Team operatives documented the operation to arrest the kidnap kingpin at the station.

The attack and the loss of top police officers sparked tension between the two security agencies forcing the army warned its men to be “circumspect” in their dealings with members of the Nigerian police.

President Muhammadu Buhari waded into the matter and constituted a panel to look into it.

The presidential investigation panel is yet to submit its report. (The Guardian)

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