Wadume: Why not wait for report of presidential panel

 Following the arrest of millionaire kidnap kingpin and his video broadcast which was released by the police, certain pertinent questions have become necessary.

It is no secret that an all-encompassing Presidential Investigation Committee set up by the Defence Headquarters is currently investigating the allegations of his escape. Why have the Police decided to come out with statement directly accusing the Army before the presidential panel, which is almost concluding investigation, rounds off?

What is the rush in preempting the panel’s report? And in the statement from the NPF why little or no mention about the major issue, that is the crime of kidnapping which is supposed to be the focus of Alhaji Hamisu Wadume’s arrest.

Both the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army are federal institutions with constitutional mandates of ensuring peace, security and fighting criminality in all forms. This writer observes that aside the initial press statement reacting to the NPF and the condolence letter to the IGP by the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army has kept its cool by not issuing any release or granting any interview since the beginning of the disgraceful incident.

 It is therefore unprofessional and morally wrong for any of the two institutions to resort to unnecessary media trial, sponsoring media attacks and negative commentaries thereby whipping up sentiments against the other. 

Similarly, the rearrested criminal aka Wadume should not have been interrogated by the police alone in a matter that both organizations are trading blames and the subsequent confession made only to one party and the same confession released by the police.

 As much as Nigerians are happy that the suspect has been re-arrested, there is the tendency that some Nigerians like me would not shy away from wondering if the rush to release such a press statement is prearranged and definitely prejudicial. 

It could also be recalled that the Police who have from the beginning accused the army and made it public that the army rescued the kidnapper and aided him to escape, are the same police issuing a statement of exactly the same confession.

What does the latest confession which seems like acting an already made script seek to achieve at a time synergy among security agencies particularly the armed forces, the police and paramilitary outfits is the watchword and high powered investigation is still ongoing?

Adeyemi Hamzat

Abuja.

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