by Rachel Ogbu

Alleged Boko Haram commander, Kabiru Sokoto has told an Abuja Federal High Court that he was tortured while being interrogated by security agents claiming he was injured on his hand despite telling authorities he was innocent.

“They beat me until I could no longer move my hands. They beat me and asked me how I managed to escape from the police,” he said.

“They said, ‘if you don’t tell us the truth, we will torture you again’.”

[READ: Kabiru Sokoto, suspected Boko Haram commander arraigned, pleads not guilty (PHOTOS)]

The Punch reports:

Sokoto was accused of masterminding the December 25, 2011 bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, Kabiru Sokoto.

Testifying in his own defence at the continuation of his trial, Sokoto insisted that he was not guilty of the charges brought against him by the Federal Government.

Prosecution witnesses had informed the court that Sokoto voluntarily made a confessional statement, in which he admitted his membership, and role, in the sect.

Sokoto, who said he was an Islamic scholar and teacher, added that he did not have any information about the Madalla bombing as alleged by the prosecution.