Wadume: Defence Headquarters Panel Concludes Report, What Might Happen To Soldiers

The seven -man Joint Investigative Panel set up by the Defence Headquarters , Abuja, to probe the killing of three policemen in Ibi , Taraba State , has concluded its report and would submit it to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Abayomi Olonisakin , on Monday .

Top military sources said the report was believed to have indicted some army and police personnel as well as a few civilians, noting that the officers and soldiers would likely face court -martial and dismissal, “ going by their level of culpability .”

The panel concluded its work on Friday after sitting for three days at the Defence Intelligence Agency , Abuja , during which it grilled army officers, soldiers , policemen and the suspected kidnap kingpin , Hamisu Wadume.

The Joint Investigative Panel , which is led by Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya , has top officers drawn from the police , army, navy , air force , the Department of State Services and the DIA .

A source close to the panel had said the officers cross- examined Wadume, after he had earlier made some confessions in a police video, where he indicted army officers and soldiers over his escape.

The police had on Monday night arrested Wadume at a hideout in the Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State , following a manhunt by the police special forces and Intelligence Response Team members in Taraba and the surrounding states.

In the video released by the police on
Twitter , Wadume had said in Hausa , “ My name is Hamisu Bala Wadume. The police came to arrest me . When they arrested me , the army chased after them and opened fire . From there , they ( soldiers ) took me to their headquarters and cut off my handcuffs and released me . I went back to my house , but the police came to re -arrest me . ”

A source in the DHQ told our correspondent on Friday that the panel had concluded its work and culpable soldiers would not escape court- martial and dismissal .

The source did not know the number of officers and soldiers indicted by the report .

The source said , “ The panel had been in Abuja for a few days . They sat at the Defence Intelligence Agency . The panel had put its report together . They are going to submit by Monday back to the CDS .

“ All the officers and soldiers identified have already been grilled. The outcome and culpability of the personnel will determine their court -martial and dismissal . But if they are deeply involved , their trial is automatic. ”

Military sources said that the custom was that the panel report would be approved by the CDS , and recommendations made before the details could be made open .