Nigeria: President Jonathan sacks police chief

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked the country's chief of police Hafiz Ringim, pushing him into early retirement. The move comes after a number of attacks perpetrated by the Islamist sect Boko Haram, the latest of which on Friday 20th January killed 185 people.

The group is fighting to overthrow the government and impose Islamic law around the country.

According to AFP, Jonathan's decision was intended to meet "emerging internal security challenges". The calls for Ringim's resignation have been ongoing since a man suspected to be behind the Christmas Day bomb attacks on several churches escaped from police custody just weeks ago.

According to AP, Jonathan's office released a statement saying Ringim had been placed on "terminal leave" pending his planned retirement in the coming months. It went on to say that Mohammed Abubakar has been appointed as his replacement "as a first step towards the comprehensive reorganisation and repositioning of the Nigeria police force to make it more effective and capable of meeting emerging internal security challenges".

According to the document, all six of Ringim's deputies had also been approved for immediate retirement.

Sources: AP, AFP, BBC News

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