Bello Bodejo,
A Federal High Court in Abuja has approved a request from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to detain Alhaji Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, along with six others for a period of 60 days while investigations continue.
The court order, granted by Justice Emeka Nwite, follows an ex-parte motion filed by DIA’s counsel, I.O. Odom, who sought the detention of the seven individuals pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1875/V/2024, named Bodejo, Suleiman Abba, Umar Jibrin, Umar Bello, Muhammed Ayuba, Jibrin Baba, and Saidu Wakili as the respondents.
In the application filed on December 16 by Mrs. N.F. Bala, the DIA sought one prayer: “An order of this honourable court enabling the applicant to detain the respondents for a period of sixty (60) days in the first instance, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
According to Bonny Ozegbe, an investigating officer with the DIA, the respondents were arrested by the Nigerian Armed Forces in Nasarawa State and handed over to the DIA on December 11 for further investigation into their alleged involvement in banditry and illegal possession of firearms.
Ozegbe stated that the preliminary investigation revealed that the respondents were part of an attack on a military formation deployed to Nasarawa during an assault on farmers and their farmlands.
The attack resulted in significant injuries to military personnel and civilians and the theft of military arms and ammunition.
“During the operation that led to the arrest of the respondents, several weapons were recovered from them, including AK-47 rifles and ammunition, as well as other dangerous weapons,” Ozegbe said.
“The preliminary investigation report also revealed that the 2nd to 7th respondents, who were involved in the incident, carried out the attacks in Nasarawa State on the instructions of the 1st respondent (Bodejo), who is their leader.”
Ozegbe also noted that this was not the first time Bodejo had been implicated in security-related issues in North Central Nigeria.
He argued that the ongoing investigation, including efforts to apprehend accomplices still at large, necessitated the continued detention of the respondents.
“If the respondents are released into society, there is a likelihood that they will continue to commit the same, similar, or more serious offences,” Ozegbe said.
“I strongly believe that the respondents pose a grave threat to national security and the entire Nigerian citizenry at large.”
The DIA officer further argued that releasing the respondents could result in them evading trial, tampering with evidence, or disrupting the investigation.
“A court order is necessary to remand them in the Defence Intelligence Agency’s custody pending the conclusion of their investigation and arraignment in court,” he concluded.
When the case was heard, Odom explained that the application was based on allegations of banditry and firearms possession.
He confirmed that the respondents were arrested on December 11.
Justice Nwite expressed concern that only the DIA’s side of the story had been presented. “Why I am asking this is that you have presented your own side of the story,” he said.
After hearing Odom’s argument and reviewing the case, the judge granted the detention request, stating, “The prayer is hereby granted.”
The judge adjourned the case until March 3, 2025, for mention.
In a related development, the FCT High Court, led by Justice Mohammed Zubairu, ordered the release of Bodejo from the Department of State Services (DSS) detention on December 29.
Justice Zubairu ruled that Bodejo’s detention since December 9, without being charged to court, was unlawful.
This ruling followed an application for a writ of habeas corpus filed by Bodejo’s lawyer, Reuben Atabo, SAN, which was not contested by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) or the DSS Director-General.
