The Bombed St Theresa Catholic Church
When I first heard that the main suspect in the Christmas Day bombing of St Theresa's Catholic church, Madalla which killed 37 people and wounded 57, had escaped within 24 hours of his arrest, I thought it was a huge joke until it was confirmed by the police spokesman Olusola Amore
It would be recalled that Islamist sect Boko Haram had claimed responsibility for the bombing. It was therefore a very heartwarming development when it was revealed that the mastermind of the unprovoked and dastardly attack was nabbed by Security men a few days ago. He was said to have been arrested in the Liaison Office of Bornu State in Abuja.
Not a few Nigerians raised eye-brow over where he was arrested. While some Nigerians saw it as a pointer to the fact that he was being harboured by elements close to the Borno State government, the Secretary to the State Government rebutted the allegation and claimed that his presence in the Liaison Office was a security breach.
While Nigerians were still pondering over the veracity of the claim of the Borno State Government, the unimaginable and very bizarre happened. The suspect, Kabiru Sokoto, whose arrest many thought would help in unravelling the mystery surrounding the Boko Haram sect escaped.
According to the Police Spokesman, Kabiru Sokoto slipped away while he was being taken by Police men from police headquarters to his house in Abaji, just outside Abuja, to conduct a search.
"In the course of undertaking this important procedure, the Policemen on escorts with the suspect were attacked by the suspected sect gang members and in the process the suspect freed," police spokesman Olusola Amore said in the statement.
"The Police view this development as a serious negligence on the part of the Commissioner of Police and have since been queried and suspended him from duty," he added.
I make bode to say that the escape of Kabiru Sokoto is a confirmation of what President Goodluck Jonathan said few weeks ago that the Boko Haram sect has infiltrated many institutions of government including the security agencies. The precision with which the murderous gang has been carrying out their operations shows that they are not the disheveled illiterates that they are being portrayed to be. The escaped suspect is said to be a postgraduate student in a University in the United Kingdom. The Christmas day bomber operated with a state of the art saloon car.
Questions that the police authority must answer include the following; who tipped off members of the Boko Haram gang that Kabiru Sokoto was being brought home for a search, why was there no exchange of fire between the ten armed Policemen that were with him and their attackers, if there was exchange of fire, how many people died or were wounded?, was the suspect handcuffed?, why is it that the Inspector General of Police handed the case to CP Zakari Biu, who apart from having a notorious image is also from Borno State?
It must also be recalled that when the military arrested the Leader and Founder of the Boko Haram sect in 2009, he was handed over to the same Abuja branch of the Nigerian police Force. He was extra-judicially murdered while in Police detention. There have also been other cases of members of the sect escaping from police detention.
Are these mere coincidences or deliberate orchestrations by Boko Haram elements within the Police force in a bid to forestal the unmasking of the bigwigs behind Boko Haram?
I therefore appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to take the bull by the horn by instituting a dilligent and systematic investigation into this markedly unusual, whimsically strange and outrageously annoying disappearance of Kabiru Sokoto.
To ensure that the investigation is uncompromisingly carried out, without negligence or omissions, it should be taken awary from the Police Authorities. A crack team of investigators drawn from other Security agencies should be specially constituted to handled this all important job. If the Police Authorities are allowed to handle this investigation, there might be a cover-up.
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