Nigerian Govt. queries nation’s Police Boss over escape of Boko Haram suspect Report by NNEWS Correspondent	Although Solomon threatened to arrest the driver of the vehicle, he told newsmen that it was illegal for protesters to barricade roads in the first place.
The Nigerian government has threatened to sanction the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim over his role in the escape of a Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto.
The Minister of Police Affairs, retired Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, voiced out the presidency’s action plan while speaking with State House correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday. Sokoto, who was arrested by the Police over alleged complicity in the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa Catholicc Church, Madalla, Niger State, was reported to have escaped after his arrest at the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. The Minister, who described the development as unfortunate, said that if anyone, including the IGP, is found culpable in the saga would be sanctioned.  ``It is an unfortunate incident but measures will be put in place now, to address the escape of the suspect. From the Ministry, I have directed the IGP to carry out full investigation and even at higher level above, there will be another investigation,’’ he said. Navy Capt. Olubolade said that the IGP could face sanction if found guilty of negligence because ‘’he is the field officer, he has the responsibility to ensure all operations regarding arrest and all that are conducted in the usual manner. ‘’If he is found to have had complicity in that, he himself will have to account for his mistake.’’  The police affairs minister said that he had also directed that the Commissioner of Police in charge of investigating the suspect, Mr Zakari Biu, is  to be ``placed under closed arrest’’. Mr. Biu is reported to have been placed under suspension by the Nigeria Police Force. Olubolade, however, disclosed that his Ministry would carry out an independent investigation, besides that of the Police, to ascertain what led to the escape of the Boko Haram suspect. Meanwhile, the Nigerian police in Osun, a South West state zone of the country on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of six suspected thieves. The suspects on December,11,,are alleged to have stolen vehicle spare parts at a worship Centre set ablaze in Osogbo. The Osun state Police Commissioner, Mr. Olusegun Solomon, who made the disclosure in Osogbo  at a news conference, said that unidentified arsonists set  the  worship centre ablaze at Alekuwodo, Osogbo,  during the  protests which followed the removal of the subsidy on petrol. The commissioner said while the search for the arsonists who burnt the worship centre was on, the police arrested those who took advantage of the incident to steal. \ He said the suspects dismantled the vandalized vehicles in order to cannibalize the body parts and sell them to vehicle parts dealers. Mr. Solomon said one of the suspects was arrested on his way to Sabo area of the metropolis while still in possession of some of the stolen scraps. “His arrest led to the arrest of five other suspects who have all made confessional statements while some of the vehicle parts have been recovered from them,” he said. The Commissioner said the suspects might be part of the irate protesters who burnt the worship centre, adding that investigation was still on Still speaking, Solomon said that the police would not arrest former Gov. Olagunsoye Oyinlola whose vehicle allegedly knocked down two persons on Dec. 10. Ex- Gov.Oyinlola’s convoy had made its way through the busy Olaiya junction in Osogbo where anti-subsidy removal protesters were holding a rally. One of the vehicles reportedly hit two of the protesters and  they were taken  to the Government House clinic for medical attention while the driver escaped. But the commissioner argued that besides the fact that Oyinlola needed to protect himself from  mob action, he said the former governor did not actually drive the vehicle which hit the victims. Although Solomon threatened to arrest the driver of the vehicle, he told newsmen that it was illegal for protesters to barricade roads in the first place.

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