Military and Police detectives have widened their search for Taraba kidnap suspect Alhaji Hamisu Bala Wadume beyond towns and villages within the country, The Nation learnt Monday.
This was as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Monday gave reasons for adding more time to the period within which the Joint Investigative Panel it set up is expected to submit its report.
It noted also that the arrest of Wadume as a principal suspect would not only accelerate the work of the Panel, but very important to investigations.
Security operatives were said to have extended their search for the kidnap kingpin to border towns in the northeast and southeastern part of the country.
Wadume is still at large more than 10 days after he escaped in controversial circumstances that led to the death of three police detectives and a civilian, when soldiers attached to the 93 Battalion, Taraba, fired gunshots at their vehicle along Ibi-Jalingo Road.
Wadume who was in handcuffs was allegedly set free by the soldiers who Army Spokesman, Col Musa Sagir, said were acting on a distress call by a kidnap victim.
Sources at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Monday said Wadume is yet to be apprehended by detectives and intelligence personnel who are combing all nooks and crannies of states within the middle belt, the northeast and southeast of Nigeria.
It was gathered that besides the efforts of the security agents in combing likely hideouts of the kidnap kingpin, the services of Interpol might have been enlisted to tighten the noose on him.
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The source expressed optimism that Wadume would soon be arrested as the security agencies are quite aware of the onerous responsibility placed on them to ensure the arrest of the principal suspect.
The DHQ source also confirmed that the time frame given to the Joint Panel to undertake the assignment of investigating the circumstances leading to the death of the three police personnel had to be extended due to the enormity of the assignment.
Said the source: “We could not give the Panel a time frame because we were not sure of the magnitude of the problem, but as events unfolded, we realised they could not finish up with the work within a week or two, so, yes I can tell you that the time has been extended. But still, no time frame.
“What we are concerned about is that the Panel will do a thorough job the outcome of which will be commendable. And if you look at the composition of the Panel, you will know that these are officers that have distinguished themselves professionally over the years in their various services”.
The Nation further learnt that the Panel is currently looking at preliminary evidences gathered within the past few days from various sources, while police and military personnel, as well as civilians connected with the matter, are facing various levels of interrogations and grilling.
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