Meanwhile the dismissal from the Police Force of Alhaji Hassan Zakari Biu, Commissioner of Police in charge of Special Investigations at Zone 7 headquarters, Abuja, by the Police Service Commission (PSC), over his role in the escape of Boko Haram kingpin, Kabiru Sokoto did not happen without some drama as the officer was said to have pleaded for forgiveness.
Alhaji Biu was also said to have cited the death of his son, Tahir, a senior official of EFCC who was killed in bomb explosion on October 1st, 2010, as enough proof that he had nothing to do with the sect.
Vanguard gathered from sources close to the panel that tried Biu that after the submission of the interrogation report by the Force Disciplinary Committee which tried him and the panel report from the federal government committee, the PSC chaired by DIG Parry Osayande (rtd), went the extra mile of inviting CP Zakari Biu to physically appear before the commission to defend himself.
During the cross examination which held last week, Zakari Biu reportedly swore that contrary to what a lot of people were saying, he had no links or connection with Boko Haram and that there was no way he would have connived with others to allow Kabiru Sokoto escape because he ordered that the suspect should be chained both hands and legs.
Biu also disclosed that though there were other officers under him, he decided to give the task to an Inspector to lead the operation to Abaji because the officer had a record of being competent.
While acknowledging however, that he had let the Police and the nation down in Kabiru Sokoto’s escape, he pleaded for mercy from the PSC members, noting that he was ready to tender a public apology to the nation.
Vanguard gathered that when the Police Service Commission later sat to deliberate on the recommendation of the FDC, some members said that they found nothing criminal against him as he performed his duties to the best of his ability under the environment he found himself.
Consequently, three members were said to have suggested that Zakari Biu should be given a soft landing and be compulsorily retired from the Police Force especially as the officer was scheduled to retire from the force at the end of this month.
Majority of the members of the Committee, however, argued that at his position and experience, his action deserved dismissal to send a message to security agencies that there is a prize to pay if senior officers saddled with such grave assignment bungle it and put the nation in further danger.
Vanguard was further told that aside the dismissal of Zakari Biu, the commission did not make any other recommendation on whether he should be prosecuted. That decision it was learnt, was left for the Federal Government to take.
SOURCE: Vanguard Newspaper, 24 February 2012. http://www.vanguardngr.com/
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