Police discredit story of escaped Boko Haram suspect

The Nigeria Police has paraded the self acclaimed Boko Haram butcher Zakaria Mohammed, dismissing media reports of his escape as false. Parading the suspect to selected journalists at a police facility in Abuja, Force spokesman Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP) Frank Mba said contrary to reports the high profile suspect is still in custody. He said, […]

The Nigeria Police has paraded the self acclaimed Boko Haram butcher Zakaria Mohammed, dismissing media reports of his escape as false.

Parading the suspect to selected journalists at a police facility in Abuja, Force spokesman Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP) Frank Mba said contrary to reports the high profile suspect is still in custody.

He said, “You will recall that on the 15th of July 2014 the Police High command did issue a press statement where we announced the arrest of a high profile terrorist by name Zakaria Mohammed.”

 “For the past few days, there has been a very strong rumour that the suspect escaped from custody, it is primarily in response to that, that we have decided to bring the suspect out to interact with you in the best culture of transparency of policing operations,” Mba added.

He explained that the suspect was arrested by police officers on the fringes of the Bama forest, and has made revelations to the police that clearly show he was an active participant in terrorist operations.

Mba also said the area of specialty of the suspect is butchering humans, saying he has participated in many terrorist attacks including an attack on a customs check point that led to the loss of lives.

The suspect who spoke through an interpreter in Kanuri language said his real name is Zakaria Mohammed also known as Ardo, and hails from Darazo local Government area of Bauchi state.

He also admitted to being a member of a five men cell of the Boko Haram terrorist group operating in Bauchi in the past two years.

Zakaria Mohammed also confessed that before his arrest he had slaughtered “only five people,” noting that it took him two minutes to slaughter a person.

Last month the police had informed the media of the arrest of the high profile “Chief Butcher”, Mba stated that the suspect was arrested and taken into custody on 12 July 2014, while fleeing from Bauchi State at the Balmo forest camp of the terrorist group.