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Army Captain On My Payroll, Wadume Reveals

Published

6 years ago

August 22, 2019

Re-arrested kidnap suspect Hamisu Bala (alias Wadume) confessed that he sent a huge amount of money to an Army captain, it was learnt on Wednesday.

The officer allegedly ordered soldiers to attack the undercover Intelligence Response Team (IRT) operatives who went to Ibi, Taraba State, to arrest the suspect.

The army claimed that the battalion mistook the operatives for kidnappers before opening fire on them, killing three policemen, two civilians and leaving five persons injured.

The Nation gathered that Bala claimed to have paid huge amounts into the army captain’s bank account three weeks ago.

Besides the Captain, the suspect was said to have some other officers on his payroll.

It was gathered that the suspected kidnapper also paid his way through checkpoints.

It was learnt that Bala and his gang avoided arrest by giving N20,000 to security agents each time they passed a checkpoint.

A highly placed source said two of Balarabe’s boys, ”Babaruns” and ”Zubairu”, called him on August 6 to tell him about Bala’s arrest.

The source said Balarabe, acting on the tipoff, directed his soldiers to “rescue” Wadume.

At the Force Headquarters on Tuesday, the suspect, who was interrogated, was said to have confessed to how Balarabe freed him.

He was said to have told detectives that the soldiers took him to the barracks, from where the Captain allegedly took him to his house, where a welder was invited to cut off the hand and leg chains.

The Nation.

The suspect, alleged to have run three kidnap syndicates in Taraba and Nasarawa states, had a network of major firearms suppliers, it was learnt.

The Police have recovered 13 vehicles and identified several choice properties in Taraba and Nasarawa allegedly bought through proceeds of crime.

The Police also learnt that Wadume owned over 400 cows reared by his boys, who fled with them on learning that their boss had been arrested.

“He has made so many revelations. A lot of things have been said that I don’t want to talk about to avoid jeopardising ongoing investigations. It is a huge network and so many people are involved.

“I can tell you that he confessed to having paid huge money into the Captain’s bank account three weeks ago and that he usually gave each checkpoint N20,000 each time he passed,” said a source privy to the investigation.

The Joint Investigative Panel set up by the Defence Headquarters to unravel the circumstances surrounding the officers’ killings by soldiers is said to be worried about a trending video of Wadume.

A video of his confession on how he was arrested and later set free by soldiers had been trending in social media.

The video showed Wadume confessing that soldiers took him to their base and had his handcuff removed through the effort of a welder before he escaped.

Sources within the panel said Wadume’s confession had put the military high command in a bad light, pointing out that the new development should have been ironed out with the police high command since the investigation was ongoing.

The source, who would not want his name mentioned said: “We are seriously disturbed and alarmed by the latest video on the purported confession of the re-arrested kingpin, Wadume, while in the custody of the police.

“Though it is a commendable effort for the re-arrest of the kidnap kingpin, the video recording of the alleged confession of Wadume while the panel is still conducting its investigation is quite worrisome as efforts are being put in place to ensure smooth relations between the military and the police before the offending confession.

“Though our panel was inaugurated on August 9 with an initial one-week deadline, we have been mandated to continue and conclude the probe as soon as possible.

“The arrest of Wadume would definitely shed more light on our investigation, considering the volume of arrests and interrogations so far.”

Meanwhile, residents of Hotoro Layin Mai Allo and Yandodo Hotorol in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State are still baffled by Wadume’s arrest.

Wadume was trailed to his hideout in Hotoro Layin Mai Allo.

A petty trader told our correspondent he was not aware of the arrest.

His neighbour, Mohammed Idris, said he heard the news on the local radio, adding that he was surprised that the suspect hid in the area.

“There is no way we would have known what was going on because there were no gunshots. The operatives carried out the task silently,” he said.

Residents went about their normal businesses; no one was heard discussing the arrest.

Security agents have cordoned off the area.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has appealed to Nigerians to shun comments that could pit the police against the army.

Acting spokesman Onyema Nwachukwu, a Colonel, said the joint investigative panel should be allowed to do its work

He declined comments on Balarabe, saying: ”Our concern should be that the panel does the exhaustive investigation and gets to the bottom of the matter. So, I would not like to begin to make comments that would preempt the investigation or its outcome.”

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Featured

NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC

As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.

Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.

Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.

But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.

As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.

Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.

Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.

Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.

As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.

Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.

Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.

As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.

We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”

To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.

To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.

And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.

Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.

The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.

Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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