ABUJA, Nigeria, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The top suspect in a Christmas Day bombing that killed at least 37 people in Nigeria was recaptured Friday after escaping police in January, officials said.
Kabiru Sokoto, a member of the Islamic militant group Boko Haram, was arrested by the State Security Service in eastern Taraba state near the Cameroon border, Voice of America reported.
Sokoto has been flown to Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
A nationwide manhunt began after Sokoto escaped from police custody Jan. 17 while being transferred to another police station, freed by what authorities described as "suspected gang members."
After the escape, President Goodluck Jonathan pressed the former inspector general of police, Hafiz Ringim, to retire early, The Nation reported.
Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the Christmas Day attack on St. Theresa Catholic Church.
Attacks by Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is forbidden," have killed more than 2,000 people in northern Nigeria, Vanguard has reported.
The group has said it wants to establish Shariah, or Islamic, law throughout Nigeria. Shariah law is already in place in Nigeria's Muslim-majority north, but 70 million people, half the country's population, are Christians.
Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in 15 areas and sent troops to the north but the attacks have continued.
