MALACHY UZENDU, Abuja

Othman early on Tuesday escaped from a Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) cell at the Louis Edet Police Headquarters, following his arrest and detention about 24 hours earlier for alleged involvement in the killing of six traders.

Othman, who was arrested alongside nine others, was said to have tricked his guards and fled.

However, the judicial panel of inquiry into the killings, ordered by President Olusegun Obasanjo, held its inaugural sitting yesterday and urged witnesses willing to testify to fear nothing and come forward with evidence as they will be fully protected.

Commissioner of Police in-charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, who confirmed the manhunt for Othman, explained that even though he escaped from the custody of the FCID, "we have record of his home village, town and state and we shall explore all these information with a view to apprehending him."

The commissioner’s statement contradicted the position of Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Emma Ighodalo, who maintained two days after the incident that "we are not aware that anybody escaped from detention."

The escape from FCID detention of Mr. Othman is the second time in a year that a DPO had escaped from such custody.

Last year, the DPO for Nsukka Central Police Station in Enugu State, had escaped from FCID cells when he was arrested to explain the role he played in the beheading of two primary school pupils at Nkpologwu in Uzo-Uwani local government area.

The DPO who was fingered by the family of the deceased children, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) and other human rights bodies over the killing of the children, escaped from the FCID cells and the police did nothing about it up till today.

Othman was alleged to have masterminded and supervised the killing of the traders at Gimbia Street, Area II, Garki Abuja.

Othman, who had denied being present when any of the six traders was killed, was, however, implicated by the evidence of a Mobile policeman at the Prince and Princess Estate at Durumi III as well as Mr. Chukwudi Chukwuma, a commercial photographer who takes photographs for the police, who confirmed that Mr. Othman knew everything about the killings.

Meanwhile, chairman of the judicial panel, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, who yesterday in Abuja addressed counsel to the victims, members of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze, the police and members of the public at the panel’s inaugural sitting, said no witness should fear anybody.

She urged persons with information to feel free to come forward with such.

In order to assist the panel unravel truth behind the killings, she assured people who have information to disclose to feel free to come to the panel, advising that such evidence should be written.

She explained that only two days of the one month session will be open to the public.

Although she did not say whether the media would be given free access to the panel proceedings, she noted, however, that the panel will start on a clean slate to collate information.

Adjourning hearing to next Thursday, the chairman noted that it was only public co-operation that could help the panel unravel the truth behind the killings.

"I call on people to feel free to come before the panel to give evidence. I want to assure you that we are starting on a clean slate and we shall ensure that justice is done.

"This panel will be incapacitated if people who witnessed what happened refuses or fails to come to testify.

"We assure you of adequate protection as it is only with your evidence that we can unravel what happened to the deceased persons," she stressed.

President Olusegun Obasanjo last week constituted the seven-member judicial panel, following public outcry that the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Mike Okiro panel, put together by acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Sunday Ehindero, was not likely to establish the truth.

The president not only stopped the Okiro panel from sitting, but condemned the killings in strong terms through Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (SAN) who inaugurated the Goodluck panel.

The police had said the six youths who they claimed were killed on Gimbiya street, in Area II Abuja last May 7, were armed robbers, but the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Apo traders and relations of the deceased cried foul and insisted that they were not, accusing the police of murder.