Boko Haram: Police dock 97 sect members
National News Aug 21, 2009

By Kingsley Omonobi

*24 policemen killed, 30 missing in Borno alone
*Former Borno CP moved to Force Hqtrs

Abuja – In the aftermath of the Boko Haram attack in Maiduguri, Borno State in which hundreds of people were killed and property worth billions destroyed, the Police authorities have concluded arrangements to charge 97 members of the Islamic sect to court in Borno State today.

Indication to this effect emerged yesterday even as Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Abdul, formerly the CP, Police Air Wing, was yesterday appointed the new Borno State Police Commissioner. He takes over from Mr. Chris Dega who has been recalled to Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Vanguard gathered that the sect members who were responsible for the death of 24 police officers in Borno alone, while about 30 officers have been declared missing in action because their bodies were either burnt after killing them or buried in unknown locations, are to be charged for treason, arson and culpable homicide.

According to Police sources, charging the 97 members of the sect to court was in consonance with the rule of law policy of the Federal Government even though investigations have revealed that members of the sect are not only unrepentant of the massacre inflicted on 24 Police officers and Police stations, but agreed that most of the 30 others declared missing in action were either burnt to ashes or buried indiscriminately.

Noting that hundreds of the sect members had been relocated from their main camp to another place where eagle eyed security operatives are putting an eye on them, the source noted that even at the point of arrest and confinement, the sect members still say they are against Western education while the Nigerian constitution is not recognised by them because it is a Christian document.