Ibi Residents Lament Wadume’s Arrest, Say They’ll Miss His ‘Generosity ’

Some residents of Ibi, hometown of Hamisu Bala Wadume, on Tuesday said they would miss the “generosity” of the suspected multi-millionaire kidnapper.

Wadume was rearrested on Monday evening at Lai Mai, in Alo Holo area of Kano State, by the IGP Intelligence Response Team.

Reacting to Wadume’s arrest, an Ibi resident, Yahaya Maikifi Ibi, said their benefactor’s arrest was “no good news” to the people of Angwan Motori in Serkin Kudu area of Ibi in Taraba State; and other people who had been beneficiaries of his “generosity.”

“He was a benevolent philanthropist that did not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion or tribe.

“Wadume is constructing a mosque in our area. The project is almost completed and his arrest will stall the project,” Yahaya Maikifi Ibi said.

Another resident, Micheal Adi, said the borehole project that had recently been drilled by Hamisu at Serkin Kudu area of Ibi local government would be a memorable monument for the people of the area.

“I wish you were here to see the mood of the people. Nobody is happy over the development.

“Let’s be truthful to ourselves, Hamisu has done well with the people of Ibi and beyond.

“For some of us here, he has done well by eliminating poverty out of some families,” Adi said.

However, a former caretaker chairman of Ibi Local Government Council, Adasho Johnson, said the arrest of the suspected kidnap kingpin was good, noting that it will lift the siege on the town by security agencies.

Adasho said both the traditional leaders, the religious leaders and the community leaders lived in fear following the “indiscriminate arrest of the people of Ibi over Wadume’s escape.”

“Now that the man in the eye of the storm has been arrested, we will have a relief.

“We will also wait in good faith to know the true state of the allegations against him.”