The Defence Headquarters on Tuesday in Abuja confirmed that it would not stop the probe and investigation of army officers and soldiers identified in the killing of three policemen despite Hamisu Bala Wadume, suspected multi-millionaire kidnapper’s arrest.
Wadume was assisted to escape by soldiers after a police team came under attack from troops attached to 93 Battalion, Takum, on August 6, but was re-arrested two weeks after.
Three policemen and two civilians were killed during the incident while five other police officers were injured.
An authoritative source at the DHQ, who asked not to be named, noted that the Joint Investigative Panel set up by the DHQ at the instance of President Buhari, would conclude its findings this week and turn them in to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin.
The panel, which is headed by Olaiya, has officers drawn from the army, navy, air force, police, the Department of State Services and the Defence Intelligence Agency.
The source said on Tuesday that the probe of the army personnel was ongoing and the arrest of Wadume would “only throw light on the investigations.”
The panel, which was inaugurated on Friday, August 9, had initially been given a one-week deadline, but it could not meet the deadline because of the volume of arrests and interrogations.
The DHQ source said, “I can assure you that Wadume’s arrest is not the end of the probe. The DHQ panel is continuing with its work and will properly turn in its report to the CDS at the appropriate time. The panel is ongoing with the interrogation of army personnel and others identified in the incident.
“Justice will be served to all parties in the matter. It is now likely the panel will round off any time this week, since its one week elapsed already.”
PUNCH
