The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to produce the army officers who allegedly aided the escape of a suspected kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala (Wadume) in court.

Justice Binta Nyako ordered Buratai or any other person in whose custody the suspects were kept to provide them in court by March 30.

She said that the court would enroll the order to the prosecution so that they could serve it to the parties involved.

The police had filed a 16- count charge of terrorism, murder, kidnapping and illegal possession of arms against Wadume and 19 other suspects.

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Justice Nyako ordered the suspects to appear in court on that day.

Some soldiers attached to the 93 Battalion, Takum, Taraba State, had on August 6, 2019 shot members of a special anti-crime squad from the Inspector General of Police Office, who had arrested Wadume and were taken him to the state police command in Jalingo for interrogation, killing three policemen and two civilians on the spot.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Simon Lough, had told the court that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had sent a letter to the army chief and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, seeking for the release of the 2nd to 11th defendants to the police for arraignment and possible prosecution.

Vanguard