Lagos , Nigeria ( CNN ) -- The head of Nigeria 's police has been given 24 hours to produce a terror attack suspect who escaped police custody under suspicious circumstances , a government minister said Thursday . Minister of Police Affairs Navy Capt . Caleb Olubolade said he and Police Inspector General Hafiz Ringim had been summoned to see President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday over the escape . The fugitive , identified by police as Kabiru Sokoto , is suspected to be the mastermind of a series of deadly church bombings on Christmas Day . The bombings were claimed by Boko Haram , a militant Islamist group frequently blamed for sectarian violence in Nigeria . A 50 million naira ( $ 307,000 ) reward was offered by police Thursday for any information leading to Sokoto 's capture and a photograph of him in custody has been distributed to all police stations in the country . Ringim will face severe sanctions for negligence of duty if Sokoto is not found , Olubolade said in a statement . `` Anyone could be sacked , including myself , '' Olubolade said . The suspect was initially detained successfully , but he escaped when suspected gang members attacked his police escort as he was being transferred to another town , police sources said Wednesday . The sources asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter . Olubolade said he had directed that the officers involved in the transfer be immediately detained . The police commissioner responsible for the suspect 's secure transfer is currently under arrest , according to police sources . They named the commissioner as Zakaria Biu , who himself hails from Borno state , the hub of Boko Haram 's activities . Jonathan declared a partial state of emergency December 31 in four northern states , Borno among them , to contain a wave of attacks by Boko Haram . Police sources also pointed the finger at Boko Haram Wednesday for an attack on a Nigerian army outpost in Maiduguri , the capital of Borno , in which two soldiers were killed .
US : A $ 307,000 reward is put up by police for information leading to the suspect . Nigeria : The escapee is suspected to have masterminded a militant attack on Nigeria . Nigeria 's inspector general of police faces sanctions if the terrorist suspect is not found . ` ` Anyone could be involved , including myself , '' the minister for police affairs says .