ESCAPE OF BOKO HARAM KINGPIN: Zakari Biu risks jail – Police

The fate of suspended CP Zakari Biu, the Commissioner of Police in charge Special Investigations at Zone 7 headquarters over the escape of Boko Haram kingpin, Kabiru Sokoto on January 14, 2012, was, yesterday, sealed by the Police Service Commission which dismissed him after deliberating on the report of the Force Disciplinary Committee that sat over the matter and the recommendations of the Federal Government Panel set up by the office of the National Security Adviser.
In a statement, the PSC said: “The Police Service Commission, after due consideration of the role played by the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Hassan Zakari Biu, in the escape of the Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto, today 22nd February, 2012 approved the dismissal of Mr. Hassan Zakari Biu from the Nigeria Police Force with effect from February 22, 2012”.

The implication of his dismissal according to Police sources is that the senior officer who is currently in detention, will soon be charged to court for conspiracy and negligence of duty, for allowing a prime suspect of the state put under his care, to escape. He, therefore, faces a possible jail term if found guilty of the allegations by the court.
It would be recalled that the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) made up of the former Deputy Inspectors General, DIGs, under former IGP, Hafiz Ringim, sat, tried him and made their recommendations to the Police Service Commission (PSC) before they were asked to go with Ringim by President Goodluck Jonathan last month.
Alhaji Zakari Biu appeared before the FDC on January 24, 2012 with five other Policemen, in whose custody Sokoto escaped, and charged with conspiracy and negligence of duty leading to Sokoto’s escape. The FDC sat behind closed doors at the Force Headquarters conference hall for over six hours.
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