Kabir Sokoto, the alleged mastermind, escaped from police custody 24 hours after he had been arrested by the police during a commando-style raid at the Borno State Governor’s lodge in Abuja.
In the aftermath of the suspect’s dramatic escape, many Nigerians have described it as a “national embarrassment,” and called for the sack of Ringim.
Already, on the prompting of President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, has issued a query to the IGP, asking the police boss to explain within 24 hours the circumstances surrounding the escape. The query also asked Ringim to show why he should not be punished for negligence since the ultimate responsibility to keep the escapee was his.
The development came as the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi (retd.), described the escape of Sokoto as a drawback to the anti-terrorism fight.
“This is a regrettable drawback on our efforts,” Azazi said.
In an SMS sent to one of our correspondents on Tuesday night, Azazi said that President Goodluck Jonathan would want to know what happened. He said the incident could portray the government as unserious with its anti-terrorism war.
Azazi said, “This is a regrettable drawback on our efforts. What it means (is that) government Could be seen differently.”
Olubolade on Wednesday confirmed that he had queried Ringim, saying the IGP as the number one police officer had the responsibility to ensure that the high profile suspect was secure.
“If he (the IGP) is found guilty of complicity, he himself would have to account for his mistakes,” the minister told State House Correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja. The minister came out of the Executive Chamber looking disturbed.
When he was asked whether the IGP could be sacked over the matter, he said, “Yes, anybody (could), including me.”
He also said he had ordered that the Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu, who was suspended over the escape be detained.
He said, “From the ministry, I have directed the IG to carry out full investigations and even at a higher level above that one, there will be another investigation to ascertain what led to the suspect’s escape.”
“I have also directed that the officers and the other personnel involved should be detained immediately. You would have seen in the newspapers that the Commissioner of Police has been suspended. In fact, beyond that, I have ordered that he be placed under arrest.
“If somebody has erred in his responsibility, the outcome of the investigation will prove that. What is important is that whatever step we are going to take as a result of this neglect, we have to take it immediately.”
Olubolade was asked if the suspect’s escape was a confirmation of the President’s position that members of Boko Haram had infiltrated his government and security agencies. He replied, “I cannot confirm that statement. What is important is that the suspect is amiss and all steps must be taken to re-arrest him.
While that is pending, the officers involved, those who conducted the search, must be detained so that the outcome of the investigation will lead to whatever punishment will be given.”
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Posted: at 19-01-2012 01:53 AM (12 years ago) | Addicted Hero
bmygeorge at 19-01-2012 02:20 AM (12 years ago) (m)
BUNCH OF IDIOTS; DISGRACE TO THE NATION AND MANKIND............THE F---ING IG SHOULDN'T JUST BE SACKED BUT SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON, HE'S ACCOMPLICE TO THE ESCAPEE, MTCHEEEEW.
Posted: at 19-01-2012 02:20 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
simeonboy at 19-01-2012 02:36 AM (12 years ago) (m)
PLEASE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN DON'T SLEEP YOUR ENEMY IS AT WORK THEY WILL DO ANYTHING TO BRING YOU DOWN DON'T TRUST ANY ONE THEIR MIND IS VERY BLACK AND WICKED THE IGP MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM BUT WHAT OF THOSE POLICE THAT WAS WITH THE VERY BOKO HARAM ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN,IF THEY PLAY WITH THIS BOKO HARAM AND FAIL TO BRING HIM BACK IT MEANS THAT NIGERIA IS VERY VERY WICK LET THEM DO SOMETHING
Posted: at 19-01-2012 02:36 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
mkpume22 at 19-01-2012 02:40 AM (12 years ago) (m)
O yes ! he should be fired with life in prison ,(kirikiri) because i believed he has played some PDP with the northern leaders to release d idoit and come to tell us d boy has escaped from jail. even his deputy should not b freed or let to go unpunished. mtchewwwwwwwwwwww
Posted: at 19-01-2012 02:40 AM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac
danpatrick at 19-01-2012 02:42 AM (12 years ago) (m)
It is a national embarassment. The police are corrupt from top down. The Chief of police and all those connected with the case should be prosecuted. This outrageous conduct of the police confirms that boko haram is merely fronting a religious face but in reality a political tool of some politicians. If Police IG and the commissioner have any sense of probity they should resign forthwith before being pushed. They are enemies of not just GEJ but Nigeria as a whole. SMH
Posted: at 19-01-2012 02:42 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
It is a national embarassment. The police are corrupt from top down. The Chief of police and all those connected with the case should be prosecuted. This outrageous conduct of the police confirms that boko haram is merely fronting a religious face but in reality a political tool of some politicians. If Police IG and the commissioner have any sense of probity they should resign forthwith before being pushed. They are enemies of not just GEJ but Nigeria as a whole. SMH
Remember GEJ have already asked us to bear with Boko Haram for it is a burden we must bear to live with, he said. Does he sound responsible?
IN ZAKA FADI, FADI GASKIYA, KOMAI TA JA MA A YI MAKA
Posted: at 19-01-2012 02:57 AM (12 years ago) | Hero
excellent2011 at 19-01-2012 03:05 AM (12 years ago) (m)
U SEE ALL THESE ABOKI PLOICE, THEY BE HIND THAT EXCAPE,,THEY ARE TELLING AS THAT HE EXCAPED ,, IF THIS STUPID POEPLE WANT TO REALY DETAIN HIM,AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST WHY DID THEY NOT SHOT HIM,,OR HANDCULF HIM AT HIS LEG AND HAND,,,EVEN IF THEY WANT TO SEARCH HIS HOUSE AS AN INTELLLIGENT OFFICER THEY HANDCULF OR START SHOTING THOSE HOODLUM THAT IS PROTESTING FOR THE ARREST,,KNOWING THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MEMEBER OF THE BOKO HARAM,,,IF I WHERE TO SAY THEY MIND OF THE POEPLE OF NIGERERIA,I WANT THOSE POLICE OFFICE TO SEVERLLY TORTURED, AND 15 YEARS IN THE PRISON EARCH,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,PRESIDENT GOODLUCK AS VERY RIGHT AT HIS SPEECH
Posted: at 19-01-2012 03:05 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
madakeey at 19-01-2012 03:19 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Poster ur not serious at all, Dis ppl dem too dey luk us lyk mumu...... point of ur correction stop using dis word "Escape" coz he dint escape dey just let him go so dat he will keep on representing dem..... poster u too dull for sayn dat, go tell ur pikin 4 house say dat suspect don escaped....foolish people.... Dem be suspect of BH too!!!
Posted: at 19-01-2012 03:19 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
buchiike at 19-01-2012 03:40 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Nigeria as a country, still have more than 6million miles to trek before reaching the top as a FIRST WORLD NATION. But they haven't moved even a step, so i wonder how long it will take them to move from darkness to light..
Posted: at 19-01-2012 03:40 AM (12 years ago) | Upcoming
fred1212 at 19-01-2012 03:54 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Fools..idiots...The person wey go arrange this our beloved nation Nigeria has not being born yet. Maybe saked?.Oh my God,You no even suggest life inprisonment. Although even if u suggest life inprisonment we no go no the time wey them go take commot am.Chei,What a shame.. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN IF THE AMERICANS HAS CAPTURED OSAMA BIN LADEN AND ALLOW HIM TO ESCAPE?OH MY GOD. BUNCH OF IDIOTS THAT CALL THEMSELFS NIGERIAN RULLERS.STUPID RULLERS.
Posted: at 19-01-2012 03:54 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
i dey vex for 9ja , why my beloved country . infact no any sector is reliable in 9ja , GEJ those police in search they deserve death penality ? in china here if such thing happen all the polices in search , commissioner of that states and IG himself including there family is dead penality and then case closed and nobody else will try such again, i feel like changing national but my love for my dear country 9ja is extremely
Posted: at 19-01-2012 04:03 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
Pangopolocool at 19-01-2012 05:17 AM (12 years ago) (m)
Let not deceive ourselves, GEJ already said that Boko Haram lives with him in his bedroom and they are part of his government, he and Sambo ordered the release of the terrorist, if that is not the case he would have ordered the dismissal and imprisonment of the police IG.
Posted: at 19-01-2012 05:17 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
adepanko at 19-01-2012 05:20 AM (12 years ago) (m)
[[color=green]size=14pt][/size] IT IS SO SAD, INDEED A NATIONAL DISGRACE. BUT ONE THING WE NEED TO KNOW IS THAT, EITHER MR PRESIDENT IS INCOPETENT OR HE INTENTIONALLY SUROUND HIMSELF WITH INCOPETENT PEOPLE SO THAT HE CAN BLAME THEM FOR HIS FAILURE.MR PRESIDENT SIR, IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING VERY CONCREATE AND DECISIVE ABOUT THIS, THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG SOMEWHERE. THE WORSE THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT THOSE WHO MAY NOT LIKE YOUR ACTION COULD PLOT AGAINST YOU TO TOPPLE YOUR GOVERNMENT OR AT VERY WORST KILL YOU, BUT YOU WILL HAVE WRITTEN YOUR NAME IN GOLD. REMEMBER IT IS ONLY THE COWARD THAT DIE MANY TIMES BEFORE THEIR DEATH. THE WHOLE WORLD IS WAITING AND WATCHING. GOD BLESS YOU[/color][/b]
Posted: at 19-01-2012 05:20 AM (12 years ago) | Newbie
bmygeorge
babyleslie
simeonboy
mkpume22
danpatrick
Ifemylove
cadanre
excellent2011
madakeey
buchiike
fred1212
.Oh my God,You no even suggest life inprisonment. Although even if u suggest life inprisonment we no go no the time wey them go take commot am.Chei,What a shame.. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN IF THE AMERICANS HAS CAPTURED OSAMA BIN LADEN AND ALLOW HIM TO ESCAPE?OH MY GOD. BUNCH OF IDIOTS THAT CALL THEMSELFS NIGERIAN RULLERS.STUPID RULLERS. 
chinakc
leksman86
Simon-Zeletus
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