The suspected mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing at Madalla, Niger State, Kabiru Umar (a.k.a. Kabiru Sokoto), who is now at large, hailed from Sokoto State not Biu in Borno State� as claimed by the police, Abul-Qaqa, the spokesman for Boko Haram said. �
The Police had declared Sokoto wanted in connection with cases of bombing across the Northern States� and described him as an indigene of Biu.�
But Abul-Qaqa, who spoke to newsmen on phone, said the suspect hailed from Biu in Borno State. ?He is actually a key figure in our group and contrary to what the police said, Kabiru Sokoto is an indigene of Sokoto State,? Qaqa said.
Checks in Biu indicated that residents of the town were surprised when they heard that Kabiru Sokoto hails from there. An elder in the town who spoke to our correspondent in confidence said he had never seen Kabiru Sokoto.
?I have been in this town for the past 60 years and the only time I saw the man you are talking about was in the newspapers.
?Many security agents have come to this town and tried to identify the relatives of Kabiru Sokoto to no avail. The fact is that even Zakari Biu (the suspended commissioner of police) is from Pama town in Hawul local government and not from Biu as many people think,? he said.
Sources said Kabiru Sokoto is the Amir (a leader) of members of the group in Sokoto.
The group has also threatened to attack Sokoto over alleged clampdown on its members in the city just like it did in Kano.
Abul-Qaqa called on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa?ad Abubakar; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and the acting Governor of Sokoto State to intervene and ensure the release of their members in order to avert the replication of what he described as ?the recent big attack on security formations in Kano State.?
?This is an open letter to the emir of Sokoto (Sultan of Sokoto) Alhaji Muhammad Sa?ad Abubakar 111, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and the Acting Governor of Sokoto State.
?Before we launched attack in Kano, we wrote open letter to senior citizens there on the imperative of releasing our members but nobody cares to talk to the people that incarcerated our members. Indeed, we sent three warnings to Kano before we strike,? Qaqa said.
?What happened in Kano will be inevitable in Sokoto unless you (Sultan and others) intervene and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of our members who were specifically arrested in the city of Sokoto on Thursday,? Qaqa said.
Frank Lampard Niclas Alexandersson Blackburn Rovers Julio Arca Christmas and New Year Lake District
