Nigeria police chief suspended over terror suspect escape
By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 7:06 AM EST, Thu January 19, 2012
Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram?
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The suspect escaped after his police escorts were attacked
- The local police commissioner is under investigation for possible negligence
- The escapee is suspected to be a member of the Boko Haram militant Islamist group
Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- A police commissioner in Nigeria has been suspended after the escape of a suspected terror group member, Nigerian police confirmed Wednesday.
The suspect, an alleged member of Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group said to favor strict sharia law, had been arrested in a successful police operation, authorities said in a written statement.
The suspect was then handed over to a local police commissioner, who instructed his men to take the suspect to the town of Abaji, in the Federal Capital Territory, for further investigation.
The police officers escorting the man "were attacked by the suspected sect gang members and in the process the suspect (was) freed," the statement said.
Boko Haram's terrorizing of Nigeria
Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram?
"The police view this development as a serious negligence on the part of the commissioner of police and have since been queried and suspended him from duty. If a criminal case is established against him and his team, they will be prosecuted," Nigerian police said.
Police sources identified the escaped man as Kabir Sokoto, a local businessman.
He was initially detained after arriving uninvited at the Abuja residence of the Borno state governor, the police sources said.
Five people were killed in their homes by suspected militants in the states of Borno and Yobe over the weekend, putting police on a heightened state of alert, the sources said.
Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is a sin," is frequently blamed for sectarian violence, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Police sources said Boko Haram had carried out an attack Wednesday on a Nigerian army outpost in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, in which two soldiers were killed.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a partial state of emergency on December 31 in four northern states, Borno and Yobe among them, to contain a wave of attacks by Boko Haram.
The group claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on churches on Christmas Day.
CNN's Nima Elbagir contributed to this report.
Part of complete coverage on
updated 7:50 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
It's an outside-the-box solution, says Clyde Prestowitz, but the German government can save Greece by reissuing its beloved deutsche mark.
updated 5:33 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Images of slaughter in the Syrian town of Houla provoked outrage around the world, but sometimes outrage isn't enough to spur action, says Tim Lister.
updated 3:56 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Alleged poison attacks against students in Afghanistan show the fragility of the country's transition, says Gayle Lemmon.
updated 5:38 AM EDT, Fri June 1, 2012
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout examines "douchebag" behavior on Twitter and finds it's actually worse to be a bore than a douche.
updated 5:27 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Airport dining doesn't have to be terminal, as a new wave of eateries elevates cuisine above the level of greasy burgers and wilting sushi.
updated 7:10 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Andrew Keen says our self esteem is determined by our use of social media -- so let's embrace tech which lets data degenerate over time.
updated 7:27 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Republican Graham Smith argues why the UK monarchy should be consigned to the history books.
CNN's Richard Quest rails against the censorious ratings warnings placed on inflight movies.
updated 12:06 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Queen Elizabeth was criticized for being aloof after Princess Diana's death in 1997. But one royal insider says that wasn't the case.
updated 5:45 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Businessman Christian Stadil believes firms must care about more than money and that corporate social responsibility helps attract talented workers.
updated 11:08 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
It's hard being a female busineswoman in a country where women need permission to work or travel. But some try.
updated 3:31 AM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012
How law enforcement agencies are readying themselves for this month's Euro 2012 soccer tournament.
updated 8:53 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Adoptions from Africa have surged three-fold in eight years -- but campaigners fear that children from the continent are becoming commodities.
updated 7:17 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
He's been running all his life, running for freedom, running for peace. Now Reza Baluchi is heading for Mt. Everest by running across the Middle East.
updated 7:13 AM EDT, Tue May 29, 2012
An old meatpacking plant in Chicago is being transformed into an eco farm, which its founders say will produce food sustainably with zero waste.
Most popular stories right now
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|