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Zakari BiuCommissioner of Police Zakari Biu has been dismissed for complicity in the escape of Christmas Day bombing suspect Kabiru Umar (alias Kabiru Sokoto).
Sokoto, the prime suspect in the bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, near Abuja, escaped from police custody following his arrest on January 14. He was rearrested on February 10.
The Police management will determine the fate of five other policemen on trial along with Biu and revert back to the Police Service Commission on the disciplinary action taken against them.
The commission also appointed seven new Deputy Inspectors-General of Police. Only two of the surviving AIGs (Suleiman D. Fakai and Atiku Yusuf) made it to the DIG cadre.
The remaining appointees were promoted straight from Commissioners of Police rank.
The new DIGs are Marvel Akpoyibo, John Haruna, Suleiman D. Fakai, Atiku Yusuf, Emmanuel Kachi Ude Orji, Abdulrahman Akano and Peter Yissa Gana.
A beneficiary of the new promotions is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, who is now a Deputy Commissioner of Police.
It also approved the appointment of 13 new Assistant Inspectors-General of Police.
The commission made the announcement in a statement by its chairman, Mr. Parry Osayande.
The statement, which was signed by Mr. Ferdinand Ekpe, requested police officers and men to take their job seriously.
The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission during its 26th Plenary Meeting held on the 22nd of February, 2012, and in exercise of its constitutional mandate, deliberated on a wide range of issues. The meeting which was presided over by Mr. Parry B.O. Osayande, Chairman of the Commission, took far-reaching decisions aimed at repositioning the Nigeria Police Force for effective service delivery to the Nigerian nation.
“The Police Service Commission, after due consideration of the role played by Commissioner of Police, Hassan Zakari Biu, in the escape of the Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto, approved the dismissal of Mr. Hassan Zakari Biu from the Nigeria Police Force with effect from February 22, 2012.
“Also the Commission approved the appointment of seven (7) Deputy Inspectors General of Police. They are: Suleiman Dauda Fakai, Atiku Yusufu Kafur, Emmanuel Kachi Udeoji, Haruna John, Peter Yisa Gana, Marvel Akpoyibo and Abdurahaman O. Akano.
“Similarly, the Commission also confirmed the promotion of thirteen (13) Commissioners of Police to Assistant Inspectors General of Police. They are: Solomon E. Olusegun, Michael E. Zuokumor, Orubebe Gandhi Ebikeme, Philemon I. Leha, Jonathan Johnson, Dan’azumi Job Doma, Joseph Ibi, Muktari Ibrahim, Suleiman A. Abba, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe, Saliu Argungu Hashimu, Solomon E. Arase and David O. Omojola.
“Furthermore, the Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim A. Lamorde has been promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police.
“Finally, the Chairman of the Commission called on all personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to rise up to the security challenges confronting the nation as the Commission would not hesitate to wield the big stick on all who would not put in their best towards the furtherance of the Nigeria Police Reform.”
The PSC, according to sources, faulted Biu’s defence over the escape of Sokoto as ‘weak and untenable.’
After a five-hour session, the PSC ratified the dismissal, which was recommended by the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC).
A source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said Biu was dismissed on four grounds: dereliction of duty through handling of a sensitive case with levity; suspicious sidelining of subordinates in handling the investigation of Kabiru Sokoto; non- provision of fortified reinforcement by Biu for the police team that went to search Kabiru Sokoto’s residence; and refusal to provide the right leadership.
The source said: “We have found it difficult to exonerate Biu; we have upheld the recommendation of the FDC that he should be dismissed accordingly.
“The fate of the five other suspects will be determined by the Nigeria Police Management. And due to the sensitive nature of the case, the management must revert to us on the disciplinary measures taken against them.
“Biu’s defence was weak and untenable. He told the trial panel that the Boko Haram suspect was in leg chains and handcuffs. It is unbelievable and embarrassing that a suspect in manacles escaped from a police team.
“What he did was to give the assignment of searching Kabiru Sokoto’s house in Abaji to a team led by an Inspector when there were many senior officers around.
“His action raised many posers. As a CP, he had a DCP, Assistant Commissioners of Police and Chief Superintendents of Police. The question we kept asking was: Why did he ask an Inspector to lead the operation to Abaji when the suspect was handed over to him by former Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim?
“He was told that the case was a high-profile type and he went ahead to manage it with levity. The tradition in the police is that when you are going to a place with a high-profile suspect, you must get at least a squadron.
The manner in which Sokoto escaped from the police team left many gaps. From the report of the investigation of the case, we suspected that either somebody in the police tipped them off or the suspect had a phone with which he mobilised some accomplices to rescue him from the police team.
“There were many missing gaps in the way the suspect’s case was managed. We suspected complicity.”
On the appointment of DIGs, the source added: “Four commissioners were made DIGs because at this level, the office of DIG is political; all the geopolitical zones must be represented.
“Some of the CPs elevated to DIG represent some zones that are not in the AIG cadre or maybe the AIGs are about to retire. But we still went through their records and discovered that they had performed excellently,” the source said, adding:
“With the management team in place, the police should get it right this time around.”
Asked of the fate of the 16 AIGs who could not make it to the DIG level, the PSC source said: “They will not be asked to retire or resign. They will still be in the service. Some of them have many years left in the service to retire.”
On the promotion of the EFCC chairman to DCP, the source said: “Lamorde has earned it, having performed well.
“As an Assistant Commissioner of Police, we also discovered that he has some ACPs working under him too. For cohesion, we also decided to elevate him.”
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 claimed 44 lives.
Barely 48 hours in police custody, Sokoto escaped in Abaji where a team of policemen went to search his home.
The incident led to Ringim’s sudden retirement.
The National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi, also set up an investigative panel which was made up of senior officials from various arms of the security agencies as well as officials of the Ministry of Police Affairs.
Biu’s dismissal came a day after the Senate recommended his trial by a court.
SOURCE: The Nation, 23 February 2012. http://www.thenationonlineng.net
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