DETECTIVES have got
“substantial” information from
the re-arrested Christmas Day
bombing suspect, Kabiru
Abubakar Dikko Umar, who is
popularly known as Kabiru
Sokoto.
State Security Service (SSS)
sources have spoken of
“revealing call logs”, among
other information.
Besides, Kabiru Sokoto is said
to have admitted being a
member of the Sura
Committee - the highest
advisory/ decision-making
board of Boko Haram, the
fundamentalist sect which has
claimed responsibility for the
bombings in some parts of the
North.
He was arrested for the
December 25 bombing at the
St. Theresa’s Catholic Church,
Madalla, Niger State in which
44 people died. Kabiru Sokoto
escaped from police custody.
He was rearrested at the
weekend.
Also in custody are over 30
“key” members of the sect.
They have been held since the
arrest of the sect’s spokesman,
Abu Qaqa.
But, contrary to a speculation
that he may have been handed
over to the military, Sokoto is
still in SSS custody, according
to a source.
The source, who pleaded not
to be named because of the
“sensitivity” of the matter, said
last night: “The suspect knows
the game is up and he has
been cooperative with the
panel of interrogators.
“We have retrieved Kabiru
Sokoto’s call logs, which have
provided substantial
information on key co-
ordinators of the sect. The call
logs are many; we are
screening them with the
cooperation of the suspect. He
is giving useful information on
each name on the logs. There
is no doubt we will go after
these sect leaders.
“So far, he has opened up on
the composition of the Sura
Committee, which is the
highest advisory/decision-
making body of Boko Haram,
headed by Imam Abubakar
Shekau.
“The suspect bared it all on
how they take decisions on
when and where to strike. He
said the Sura Committee has
been responsible for the
operation of the sect.”
Other areas of interrogation of
Kabiru are: How Boko Haram
sources its funds; its sponsors/
backers; training grounds; and
how he escaped from police
custody.
Another source said: “Since
the arrest of Qaqa, we have
picked more than 30 key co-
ordinators of Boko Haram for
interrogation.
“One of the strange things we
discovered is that contrary to
their posturing, most of them
are not well-versed in Quranic
memorisation and recitation or
deep knowledge of Quran.
Some have smattering
knowledge of Quran.
“Most of them also could not
give cogent reasons for doing
what they are doing. And they
said the fear of arrest made
them to cause more havoc.”
Responding to a question, the
source added: “Some of the
suspects said they do source
arms and ammunition from
police armoury. We will soon
turn in the evidence to the
appropriate authorities for
probe.”
The trial of a Commissioner of
Police, Zakari Biu, and five
others resume today, it was
learnt that some policemen on
trial have confessed on how
Kabiru Sokoto escaped from
their custody in Abaji.
A police source said: “They
said when they got to Abaji,
some youths overwhelmed the
team, demanding the release
of their Mallam whom they
were surprised to see in
handcuffs. This angry mob
never knew that Kabiru Sokoto
is a member of the Boko
Haram sect.
“They claimed that the crowd
was much, that if they had to
shoot, many people will be
killed. They said the youths
seized the suspect from them,
but they did not call for
reinforcement from the police
station to resist the mob.
“They admitted that it was a
lapse to have allowed the mob
to have its way instead of
living up to their responsibility
as law enforcement agents.
“But they could not justify why
they had to bow to the mob
when they ought to have used
tear-gas canisters or shoot into
the air to scare the youths.”
The Force Disciplinary
Committee is expected to
submit its report this week for
consideration by the Police
Service Commission.
The policemen risk dismissal
for negligence and dereliction
of duty.
Section 30 of Part 1 of the
Third Schedule to the 1999
Constitution says “the Police
Service Commission shall have
power to (a) appoint persons to
offices (other than the Office of
the Inspector-General of
Police) in the Nigeria Police
Force; and (b) dismiss and
exercise disciplinary control
over persons holding any office
referred to in sub-paragraph
(a) of this paragraph.”
The Christmas Day bombing at
St. Theresa’s Catholic Church
killed 44 people.
But barely 48 hours in custody,
Sokoto escaped in Abaji.
The incident led to the
querying and retirement of the
former Inspector-General of
Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim.

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