[center]ESCAPE FROM DETENTION OF A SUSPECTED BOKO HARAM MEMBER[/center]

A Commissioner of Police is in trouble over the escape from detention of a suspected Boko Haram member, Kabiru Sokoto, who was arrested in connection with the Christmas Day bombing at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State.
The suspect was arrested last Saturday at the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja in company of an Air Force officer.
But the Borno State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, yesterday said the escape of the suspect confirmed the state government’s suspicion of a plot to eliminate Governor Kashim Shettima.
The suspect, who was in handcuffs, escaped on Monday from a team of policemen who took him to his home in Abaji, near Abuja for a search.
It was gathered that after the search, the police decided to take the suspect to the traditional ruler of the town (the Ona of Abaji) in a Toyota Hilux Van.
A group of irate youths allegedly waylaid the police team. In the process, the suspect escaped.
But the police authorities were shocked that a Boko Haram suspect could escape while in company of about 10 armed policemen.
Based on preliminary investigations, Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim ordered the suspension of a Commissioner of Police.
The Police confirmed the escape of the suspect in a statement by its spokesman Olusola Amore yesterday. The police said: “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 escort with the suspect 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 commissioner of Police and have since been queried and suspended from duty. If a criminal case is established against him and his team, they will be prosecuted.”
Another Boko Haram suspect, Aliyu Tishau, was similarly freed in 2011 from the custody of the police, who maintained that Tishau was released to a sister security agency for further investigation. Tishau has not been re-arrested till date.
Bwala said: “The intrigues and drama of the reported escape of the alleged Boko Haram suspect arrested at the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Abuja from the police does not only sound fairy tale, it justifies our suspicion to the effect that there may be a grand conspiracy intended to either embarrass the Governor and Government of Borno State or to eliminate Governor Shettima.
“Suffice it to raise some posers, the answers to which may give a clue into the seeming mystery: If the man escaped while under escort, how can a man possibly in handcuffs outrun more than a platoon of armed policemen?
“Could the alleged sympathisers of Boko Haram, which Mr. President said have infiltrated the security agencies, facilitated the escape? Could the arrest and escape stories not be a phantom arrangement after all? From which point did the police radar pick the said suspect in Zuba? Why was the whole drama headed for the Borno Governor’s lodge in particular?
“Let me state, for the avoidance of doubts, that nobody or group, no matter their positions can intimidate Governor Shettima or rope him or any official of the Borno State Government for that matter into any phantom plot.
“We are aware that certain people have been plotting to rubbish the development efforts of Governor Shettima.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/33700-xmas-day-bombing-suspect-in-dramatic-escape.html

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