It was like a tale told in the movies; full of twists and turns. But the curtain finally fell on the career of Zakari Biu, Commissioner of Police in charge of investigation at Police Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja. In this piece, CHIZOBA OGBECHE, examines the issues, controversy and argues that in the end, Biu became an expendable in the murky battle against the Islamist sect, Boko Haram. The report:
For embattled Commissioner of Police, Hassan Zakari Biu, 34 years as an officer of the Nigeria Police Force came to nought on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 as the Police Service Commission in its 26th Plenary and in exercise of the powers conferred on it by the PSC Establishment Act, 2001 dismissed him from the force.
The PSC in its statement signed by Ferdinand Ekpe stated that “…after due consideration of the role played by Commissioner of Police, Hassan Zakari Biu, in the escape of the Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto, today February 22, 2012 approved the dismissal of Mr. Hassan Zakari Biu from the Nigeria Police Force with effect from February 22, 2012.”
The Biu saga, a fallout of the infamous bombing of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Suleja on Christmas Day 2011, and the subsequent dramatic escape of Kabiru Abubakar Dikko, a.k.a. Kabiru Sokoto, the alleged mastermind of the bombing in which over 40 lives were lost, was of intense interest to not a few Nigerians.
Trouble started for the controversial now dismissed Commissioner of Police when he let the then wanted Sokoto to literarily take a stroll from his watch in what turned out to be a major PR disaster not just for the police but the entire security apparatus of the country.
According to Biu’s account in his reply to query from the Police High Command, he and his men were “overpowered by a riotous mob of over a 1000 youths, who set the alleged mastermind free.”
Many did not buy his story as it left a lot of questions. “Why did he not radio in for help immediately the suspect was “rescued by the riotous mob?” some had asked. Others queried the ferrying of such a high profile suspect in an open truck in late evening with a few policemen.
No matter the number of questions, Biu in his letter gave the indication that he was not culpable rather was carrying out the directive of the former Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim.
For most Nigerians, Biu had a grudge against the Nigerian state right from his days in the dreaded Abacha Strike Force where it was alleged he was responsible for the death of journalist Bagauda Kaltho in Hamadala Hotel Kano.
His grouse was to further deepen when he lost his son, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the October 1, 2010 bombing near Eagle Square Abuja. Whatever conjectures people might proffer, there was little doubt that Hassan Zakari Biu was a controversial figure.
He was that controversial that he was eased out of the Police Force during Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency but was to find his way back into the force, in what some cynically say: through the backdoor, during the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as a Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Even Biu himself acknowledges his controversial nature when upon his arrest for Sokoto’s escape was quoted as saying: “My life has always been like that – full of controversy. I am sure that there is nothing that I did to undermine the interest of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, and the nation for the personal benefit of Zakari Biu. At this stage, I don’t want to say anything yet. Government has set up a panel.”
It, however, seemed his career of controversy was back to normal when the PSC at the end of its 25th plenary deliberations, approved the promotion of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Hassan Zakari Biu to the rank of Commissioner of Police with effect from December 15, 2011 based on the Inspector General of Police' recommendations.
That Inspector General was the disgraced Hafiz Ringim!
Following the escape of Sokoto from Biu’s keep, the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, said Ringim had announced the setting up of a disciplinary committee with a 24 hour caveat for the sacked Ringim to provide the escaped mastermind.
He said: “Like I did say the other time, I have given some directives. The Inspector-General of Police has responded. A committee has been set up above the police, which takes into cognisance experts in various aspects to come together and conduct another investigation, so that is been assembled and they have been set to work. I think this is how far we have gone."
The committee, Olubolade referred to was that setup by the National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi (rtd). The panel was set up to determine the culpability or otherwise of the police personnel in the escape saga.
Sensing the impatience of Nigerians over the work of the panel, the minister said: "I have to tell Nigerians that because an investigation panel has been set up, Nigerians should be patient and allow them do their job very briefly. A time line has been given to them and at the end of that, something will come out, so we should not pre-empt.
"There are senior officers, military officers are there, officers from the ministry are also there and other agents are there so it is a combined one. I think they will complete it within a week," he said.
True to his assertion, the work of the committee came to pass through the PSC. But before then, Biu’s fate was sealed when the State Security Service on February 2, 2012 arrested the spokesperson of Boko Haram, Abu Qaqa in Kaduna State and the subsequent nabbing of Kabiru Sokoto by the agency eight days later on February 10, 2012 at Mutum-Biu in Gassol LGA of Taraba State.
Before their inglorious exits, a Chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Audu Ogbeh had called for thorough investigation and sacking of all those involved in the Sokoto escape saga for negligence of duty and a judicial probe to unmask those responsible for the escape of the suspect.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ogbeh had alleged that, “The so-called escape was packaged at the highest level by an individual who hates this country who wears uniform of security agency.
“How does anybody convince us that Kabiru Sokoto was arrested in a Governors’ Lodge in the presence of an air officer, after he was searched for by the SSS for so many days and then he was handed over to Zakari Biu, who accompanied him nicely to the road and then told him to go home and he is telling us that he escaped.”
Such was the misgivings by most Nigerians. Now that Biu’s era in the police has come to a bad end, will he spill the beans as he has promised? Biu in a brief encounter with journalists in the early days of his ordeal had said: “I will not also comment on any issue and how I was treated after the incident for now. I assure you, I will talk later.”
It will be no surprise that now that he has lost all, he might just spill the beans and bring the house crashing on those who have traded him in for their own safety.
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