Boko Haram suspect’s escape:How high level complicity aided Sokoto’s escape

Kingsley Omonobi And Mitaire Ekpen, Abuja
The bond between Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim and Mr. Zakaria Biu, a Commissioner of Police, according to mutual associates goes a long way. However, as this week unfolded and the greatest scandal to cloud Ringim’s almost uneventful police career unfolded, Ringim did not mind ordering the arrest and detention of his friend.

Mallam Kabiru Sokoto, the most prominent member of the Boko Haram group presently involved in distabilising plot against the country through sectarian killings, had been arrested in the confines and comfort of the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Abuja last weekend. It was a moment of glee for the police authorities and the presidential villa both of which had come under scathing criticisms over the spate of bombings in the country.

Was he aware that Sokoto was lurking in some Government House nearby? some would have wondered after the arrest. It was as such a big relief for the authorities that Sokoto, whose last terrorist act was the bombing of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, near Abuja, was apprehended.

The Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa had particularly shocked Nigerians nearly arousing sectarian feelings that the bombers had so much desired.  However, the news that Sokoto escaped in dramatic circumstances from the hands of a Commissioner of Police of the standing of Alhaji Zakari Biu further confirmed the suspicion that the dreaded Islamic sect is being sponsored and protected by high ranking members of the society.

The question was how could such a high profile suspect escape in such controversial circumstances less than 48 hours after he was arrested? According to police sources, Sokoto was arrested alongside a serving air force officer after a police raid at the Borno State Governor’s Lodge last Saturday where he had sought accommodation to pass the night on Friday before proceeding to London .

Following modern tracking device recently installed by the Chinese at Force headquarters, Sokoto was traced to the lodge after he made several contacts with his members on new plans to carry out bombings in the FCT when he was arrested in company of the air force official.

The two men were taken to the Zone 7 Police Area command under the supervision of Commissioner of Police, Biu, who is entrusted with Boko Haram investigations, where they were interrogated and useful information that could lead to the arrest of other masterminds obtained.

The police took Sokoto’s arrest as a significant breakthrough since other Boko Haram investigations had consistently met a brick wall. Saturday Vanguard gathered that a laptop and other sensitive documents were retrieved from Sokoto which implicated other masterminds of the Christmas Day bombing. The police also planned to collaborate with international agencies to ascertain whether Sokoto’s planned trip to London had anything to do with any link up with international terrorist organizations.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that Sokoto confessed during interrogation that the had a hide-out at Abaji, a suburb of the federal capital about 70 kilometers from the city centre from where attacks in the FCT and perhaps Niger State were coordinated.

Sokoto was also demystified as an arms dealer and investigations linked him to the sons of a prominent traditional ruler in Abaji who is said to enjoy huge political patronage from important persons in the corridors of power.

The breakthrough was, however, cut short when Sokoto escaped in a commando style while he was being conveyed to Abaji for a further search on his house and questioning of the Abaji traditional ruler on Sunday.

Police sources told Saturday Vanguard that after the search on Sokoto’s house, the police team was on its way to meet with the traditional ruler on the issue when a mob of gun-wielding youths, apparently Boko Haram members, ambushed the police convoy, shooting sporadically into the air ostensibly to create pandemonium. In the ensuing confusion, Sokoto was rescued and whisked away into oblivion.

The incident drew the ire of police IG, Hafiz Ringim, who has reportedly ordered that Biu be queried and suspended while a further directive ordering his arrest emanated from the Police ministry. Saturday Vanguard gathered that before now, Ringim and Biu were close friends, hence he entrusted the CP, whom he handed over the Boko Haram investigations to.

Understandably therefore, Ringim was miffed with the development, because it put a major dent on the reputation of the Nigeria Police Force.   Surprisingly, the Police had sought to bury the development until the persistence of newsmen in Abuja forced the Police into a confirmation of the development.

In a terse statement late Monday, the Police Force Public Relations Officer, FPPRO, Deputy Commissioner Olusola Amore confirmed the arrest and escape of Sokoto, and announced the suspension of CP Biu for dereliction of duty. The statement entitled “Boko Haram suspect escape: Police suspend Commissioner” which made available to Saturday Vanguard read:

“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to confirm that a suspect was arrested in a successful police operation and was rescued from a team of policemen detailed to carry out further investigation on the matter.

The suspect was handed over to a commissioner of police for further investigation and he consequently detailed his men to take the suspect to Abaji in furtherance of investigation. In the course of undertaking this important procedure, the policemen on escorts with the suspects were attacked by the suspected sect gang members and in the process the suspect freed.

The police view this development as a serious negligence on the part of the CP and have since been queried and suspended him from duty.”

Mallam Sokoto’s escape is said to have irked President Jonathan so much that he immediately directed the IGP to produce Sokoto and his accomplices within 24 hours if he still wants to keep his job last Wednesday.

Unveiling the presidential angst after the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting last Wednesday, Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd) told reporters that the IGP or any other person found culpable in the matter will be fired by the President.

CP Biu and his men have consequently been placed on house arrest and are reportedly facing interrogation at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Area 10, Abuja .

Posers are also being raised as to the involvement of the Borno State Government in the matter given that Sokoto was arrested in its Lodge in Abuja and public knowledge of Borno as the centre-point of Boko Haram operations.

Though the Borno State government has denied harbouring any member of the Boko Haram sect in its Governor’s Lodge, the fact remains, as confirmed by Secretary to the Borno State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmad Jidda, that Sokoto sneaked into the state lodge premises to wreak havoc on the property.

Borno State Commissioner for Information, Inuwa Bwala was categorical in denying any linkage between the suspect and the state authorities affirming that it was perhaps another plot to dent the image of the State’s Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shetima.

Many Nigerians are however of the belief that there is more to the escape of Sokoto than meets the eye and there is strong suspicion that the escape of Sokoto could have been stage-managed, leading to such questions as to how come the police could not hold on to such a high profile suspect as Sokoto?

How could a prime suspect heavily guarded in handcuffs overrun a team of policemen if he had been closely guarded? Why move the suspect from secure custody to undertake investigations in Abaji; because Saturday Vanguard learnt that no sooner had Sokoto been arrested than calls were placed from highly placed persons mounting pressures for his release.

An enraged Femi Falana, Human Right Activists was the first to accuse the police of complicity in the escape saying, “Whereas he (Sokoto) was arrested by a full lorry load of armed policemen, he was taken out for a search by five policemen .

“He (Sokoto) was released in order to cover up the mastermind of the Boko Haram menace.
“The suspension of the CP by the IGP is diversionary because the IGP would have known that Biu was not the person to combat Boko Haram menace, which is very popular in his home state of Borno. The IGP has refused to collaborate with the SSS in stamping out Boko Haram in the country,” he alleged pointing out that he (Ringim) should be relieved of his duty without further delay.

On his part, Rev. Ralph Madu, Director of Communications, Catholic Secretariat, Nigeria described the development as a confirmation of the anxiety expressed by President Jonathan that Boko Haram sect members had infiltrated the nation’s security apparatus.

“It is such a big shame to the police and the nation and it is part of what the President said that the government and the security service have been infiltrated by the Boko Haram. The Catholic Church calls for a thorough investigation into the matter because it is an affront to the country,” he said.

Call for RINGIM’s sack
Some angry members of the public have called for the sack of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim alleging that police authorities might have decided to release Kabiru Sokoto to cover up high profile Nigerians who could be implicated by the suspect.

The police hierarchy’s attempt to cover up the escape of Sokoto was alluded to as reason for holding the IGP responsible for what was considered as freeing the suspect.  Several efforts by journalists to  confirm the story of the escape was rebuffed by the communications office of the IGP who claimed they knew nothing about the incident.

The suspension of CP Zakari Biu was announced only late Tuesday when it was obvious that the matter had been reported to the President and that not only was it impossible  to be swept under the carpet but that the IGP was to be personally held responsible.

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, was reported as saying that the suspect’s escape confirmed the President’s disclosure  of Boko Haram elements in his government and in the police.

“The President has said it that our security has been compromised and that there are many people in positions of authority who are members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect. It is a clear case of conspiracy. People helped him to escape. It justifies what the Church has been saying; it is a deliberate effort by a group much larger than we think to destroy the church and if possible take over the state,” he was quoted as saying.

Erstwhile Lagos Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, spoke in a similar vein, saying that the  escape was a confirmation of Jonathan’s assertion that Boko Haram members were in government. “How did this happen? How can you arrest such a high profile suspect and let him escape? It’s unbelievable.  When you arrest such a suspect, you handcuff him and in some countries you even put him in leg chains and provide adequate security before you take him anywhere.

“I think there is complicity. The President should do something about the police. They should find out the kind of policemen that led him; are they from the same area? This is what should be established. It’s a shame,” he said.

However, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) operation, Mr. Audu Abubakar on Wednesday, told journalists in Bauchi, that there was no proof that the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram has infiltrated the Nigeria Police Force.

Abubakar  who was on an tour of Bauchi State Police Command, said the insinuation remained a mere speculation which was devoid of substantive facts. “Whatever you hear about Boko Haram existence in the police has not been proved by anyone. We police are like judge, if we have not proved any case we cannot base issue of that magnitude on hearsay. There is need to verify things very well.

“It is until such is confirmed after making arrest, investigated and prosecuted it in the court of law, before anyone can be declared a member of Boko Haram sect. As of now we have not detected anyone in the police. This is my personal opinion.”

A group that calls itself National Movement for Equity and Transparency, NAMOET, on Wednesday, condemned calls for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Hafiz Ringim, over the escape of suspect Kabir Sokoto from custody.

The group said the call for the resignation of the IGP was not only hasty as the IGP, as it has not yet been proved that he was part of the alleged plot to set Sokoto free and that he had taken a disciplinary action against Mr. Biu.