A large crowd welcomed “kidnap kingpin”, Hamisu Bala, better known as Wadume, to his hometown in Ibbi Taraba State, on Sunday.

Wadume, who was arrested by men of the Intelligence Response Team of Inspector-General of Police, in 2019, was released from Kuje Prison in Abuja, on Friday, according to sources.

Prison sources told Daily Trust that he had concluded his jail sentence which ran concurrently.

The convict was ferried into Ibbi through river Benue, where he was received by thousands of people, including youths and women.

A resident of Ibbi town, Musa Garba, said the town was at standstill for Wadume.

Garba said the elderly and youths trooped out to receive Wadume by the river side and from there he went through the town before retiring to his house.

Another resident simply identified as Nuhu said, “We are in festive mood as Wadume regained his freedom and now out of prison and now with us in in his home town Ibbi.”

Meanwhile, Wadumi has visited the Chief of Ibbi chiefdom, Alhaji Salihu Danbawuro, at his palace.

Wadume told the chief that he was at the palace to thank the chief and the entire people of his chiefdom.

He said through out his trial, the chief and his subjects stood firmly with him and prayed for his safety and good health while in prison.

The chief, Saliha Danbawuro, told Wadume that he and his subjects were happy that he is out of prison.

“I and the entire people of Ibbi chiefdom are happy that Hamisu Wadume is now back in Ibbi his home town.” the chief said.

Arrested by police, freed by soldiers

Controversy trailed his arrest in 2019 after the IRT team of the IGP squad that arrested him were attacked by soldiers while on their way to Abuja. The soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Ibbi-Takum road, led by Tijjani Balarabe, were reported to have set Wadume free and subsequently killed some of the officers who arrested him, on August 6, 2019,.

Three policemen and two civilians were killed during the incident, while five other police officers were injured.