Pressure on PSC to pardon sacked Biu

Prominent Nigerians are now mounting pressure on the Police Service Commission [PSC] not to dismiss the former Commissioner of Police, Zakari Biu whose custody a boko Haram co-ordinator, Kabiru Sokoto escaped. They are also demanding from the PSC to convert the dismissal of the embattled commissioner to retirement. It was gathered by “Daily Post” that the commission had promised not bow to any pressure except if there could be fresh facts or evidence could influence the agency to review his case. The Office of the Attorney-General of the federation is still expecting a brief from the Police recommending Biu’s trial. Besides, the PSC is still awaiting the report of the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, on the fate of five other policemen from whose custody a Boko Haram co-ordinator, Kabiru Sokoto, escaped in Abaji, near Abuja. It will be recalled that Biu was dismissed from the Police on February 22 over Sokoto’s escape from custody. Sokoto was alleged to be the mastermind of the bombing of a church in Madalla on Christmas Day, last year. Ðaily Post” gathered from sources that are very close to PSC that there are two conditions which could lead to the review of Biu’s dismissal. According to the Sources, “they are If there are fresh facts or evidence placed before the commission; and “Biu will have to convince the commission beyond reasonable doubt that he had no hand in how Kabiru Sokoto escaped. “And until Sokoto’s case is eventually determined, it will be difficult to review Biu’s case. In any case, we have not received any formal appeal for the review of the dismissal from Biu. There is no record of such,” the source said. Asked if the re-arrest of Kabiru Sokoto is insufficient to convert Biu’s dismissal to retirement, the highly-placed source added: “Kabiru Sokoto was re-arrested by the State Security Service and not the former Commissioner of Police or any of his men.” The PSC is still awaiting the fate of five policemen under whose custody Sokoto escaped in Abaji, near Abuja. The PSC source added: “The five policemen belong to other ranks in the Force and their trial is within the schedule of the Inspector-General of Police. “I think they are still being investigated or tried. The PSC has not got a formal report from the IGP on the disciplinary action taken against them. Once we get the report, we will only ratify accordingly. “This is the case because the PSC has not met for a while. We may hold a session in the next one week or two.”