End of the road finally for Zakari Biu, the infamous police officer
indicted over various allegations of human rights violations during the
military dictatorship of the late General Sanni Abacha as he was fired
by the Police Service Commission, PSC, on Wednesday.
Biu,
a Commissioner of Police in charge of investigations of terrorism
activities at Wuse, Zone 7 Command of the Nigeria Police, Abuja was
sacked over the escape of Kabiru Sokoto, a member of Boko Haram sect
suspected of being behind the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s
Catholic Church, Madala, Niger State.
The attack led to the death of about 44 people and injuries to scores of others.
Biu’s
sack was contained in statement signed by Ferdinand U. Ekpe, the Public
Relations Officer of PSC on behalf of the chairman of the commission,
Mr. Parry Osayande.
The statement released to the media after the
meeting of PSC today in Abuja added that investigations revealed Biu was
culpable in the escape of the suspect.
Sokoto had escaped in
dramatic circumstances on Sunday 15 January this year from a team of
policemen detailed to take him for a search of his house at Abaji, Abuja
by Biu.
The policemen had claimed that the escape of Kabiru was
facilitated by a gang of youths who flagged down the Toyota Hilux van
used to take the suspect to Abaji as it was heading for the residence of
the head of the village, resulting in chaos during which the accused
escaped.
Police had declared Sokoto wanted and placed a N50 million reward on his head immediately after his escape.
General
Owoye Azazi (retd), the National Security Adviser, told a national
newspaper that the escape of the Boko Haram suspect was a drawback to
the fight against terrorism.
Azazi who said President Jonathan
will want to know what really happened also said the incident may
portray government as not serious in its fight against terrorism.
Caleb
Olubolade, the minister of Police Affairs few days after the escape of
Kabiru Sokoto told the nation that the Federal Government had issued a
query to Hafiz Ringim, the then Inspector General of Police and Zakari
Biu over the escape of the suspect from police custody.
The
incident eventually led to early retirement of Ringim and the top
hierarchy of the police two weeks after. Biu and members of his team
were suspended and investigated over the escape of the suspect, leading
to today’s dismissal of the commissioner.
But the suspect was
re-captured by a team made up of men of State Security Service and
soldiers in the very early hours of Friday 10 February in Taraba State.
The suspect is currently in the custody of SSS.
But for the escape
of Sokoto, Biu who was recommended for dismissal from the police as a
result of his involvement in various cases of human rights abuses by the
Human Rights Investigation Commission, otherwise known as Oputa Panel
would have retired from the police next month.
Ironically, it is
the same Osayande-led PSC that re-absorbed Biu into the police in 2010
on the excuse that he was not properly dismissed.
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Replace all the police with the navy or airforce.
ReplyDeleteWithout being told the look on his face (Zakari Biu) portray him as a member of the gboko haram sect and a criminal.
ReplyDeleteAllihamdulilahi , Thank Allah for this action .. This set of people are disgrace to Islam , am sure they do not understand Islam but rather act on peoples command .
ReplyDeletelong overdue.
ReplyDeleteyu mustnt stop at sacking him!
ReplyDeletehe must be prosecuted,immediately, at least for the sake of the xmas day 2011-madalla 44 and others including the disappered journalist! next will be to look for ringim wherever he is and bring him to book also!
prosecute him, prosecute him, prosecute him,prosecute him.
ReplyDelete