Madalla Bombing Mastermind Escapes From Custody

Indications emerged last night  that the alleged Boko Haram member and the mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing at St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madala, Kabir Sokoto,  may have escaped from the  custody of one of the security agencies.

A source close to one of the agencies, confided in LEADERSHIP that  the police had been under pressure from some top officials since the arrest of Mallam Sokoto on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leading to the controversy over where he was arrested and the agency in charge of his case.

A section of the media had reported that the suspect was arrested at the Borno State Governor’s  Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja while a senior police officer had confirmed to our correspondent that he was arrested in Abaji, a suburb of the FCT during  a joint agency operation.

LEADERSHIP also learnt  that the pressure over the suspect  might  not be unconnected with the alleged involvement of two sons of a prominent traditional rulers in the Madalla bombing.

According to our source,  who does not want his name in the print, the suspect’s escape might  have been stage-managed by the police as he was said to have been taken back to Abaji as part of the investigation where he was said to have been rescued by some militant youths who had laid seige on the palace.

The suspect,  who is also known to be an  arms dealer,  was reportedly tracked down by the security forces and investigation had linked him to the sons of the traditional ruler who is said to enjoy political patronage from people in the corridors of power.

Sokoto, who was reportedly arrested alongside a serving military personnel, was said to have been tracked down in the nation’s capital after several weeks of investigation.

Culled from Leadership