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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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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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