Nigeria: Kabiru Sokoto Re-Arrested
BY HASSAN ABDUL, 10 FEBRUARY 2012

Madalla blast victim. (Photo Courtesy Vanguard)
Escaped boko haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto, has been re-arrested.

Sokoto was arrested on January 14 at Borno state government lodge in Abuja and escaped in dramatic circumstances on January 15. In the wake of his escape, former IG of Police Hafiz Ringim resigned from his post, and Commissioner of Police Zakari Biu who was in charge of the operation that led to Sokoto's escape was suspended and is currently under investigation.

Although details of the operation that led to his re-arrest, sources confirm that Sokoto was re-arrested in Taraba state by men of the SSS some time yesterday.

It is suspected that Sokoto is a key member of the boko haram sect and was involved in at least both the Christmas day bombing at Madalla, Niger state, and the attack on the Police Force Headquarters in June 2011.

Background

Kabiru Sokoto was arrested at the Borno state government lodge on January 14 after he reportedly went to the lodge together with a Flight Lieutenant of the Nigerian Air Force and one Ibrahim, who had sought and got approval by officers in charge of the lodge to spend the night there.

Ibrahim had called the lodge officer, who was away in Maiduguri, seeking to be given a room for the night and he was granted this, but he came to the lodge on Friday night along with Kabiru and the Air Force man.

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Security men at first refused to allow him bring in the other two, saying they were told to give only him accommodation. Ibrahim then called Maiduguri again, pleading that two of his friends also needed help to sleep at the lodge with him, and he was then permitted to take them in.

But early on January 14, a team of well-armed policemen arrived at the lodge looking for Kabiru, after tracking him through his cell phone signal, a source told Daily Trust.

The police team first cordoned off the whole area and raided several government lodges, before zeroing in on the Borno government lodge where they found Kabiru and the Air Force officer.

According to witnesses of his escape at Abaji, trouble started in the area when policemen from Abuja city brought Kabiru Sokoto in a Toyota Hilux van. A gang of youths flagged down the vehicle as it was heading for the Ona of Abaji's Palace, creating a chaos during which the suspect escaped.

The police had earlier taken the suspect to a house he owned at Abaji to conduct search and were on their way to the traditional head's palace when the youths saw him in handcuffs and then blocked the road, the witness said.

Commissioner of Police Zakari Biu was suspended from the force on Tuesday January 17.

How Kabiru Sokoto settled at Abaji

Kabiru Sokoto, who is married to one wife and has 3 children, came to reside at Abaji around March 2010 from Sokoto State, neighbours told Daily Trust.

When he came to Abaji, he first stayed at the home of a trader along the new market road.

A few days later he rented a one-room apartment at Unguwar Asharawa in the area and moved in with his family.

Residents of the area said after Kabiru settled, he came to endear himself to the people in the area. He was considered as a generous man and a devoted Muslim cleric who often led the five daily prayers in a mosque at Anguwar Asharawa.

Later, Kabiru opened a kiosk and began selling provisions/cosmetics in the neighbourhood.

Sources said Kabiru relocated to Abaji after his house in Sokoto State was burnt in 2009 on suspicion that he was affiliated to the Boko Haram sect.

People in Abaji said Kabiru has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics/Chemistry.