The family of Bello Bodejo, President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has alleged that he has been arrested and detained by the Nigerian Army.
In a statement, Suleiman Waziri, Bodejo’s brother, said the arrest occurred on Tuesday at Bodejo’s office in Maliya, Nasarawa State.
He said the arrest was carried out by officers of the 117 Battalion.
Waziri claimed the arrest stemmed from an incident involving herders and a retired Army General in Tudun Wada, Karu Local Government Area.
According to Waziri, the confrontation began on December 8, 2024, when a retired general allegedly fired at a herd of cattle, causing significant losses for the herders. The herders reportedly disarmed the general and reported the matter to the police.
“My brother’s only involvement in this matter arose when relatives of the herders approached him earlier on the morning of 9th December 2024, pleading for his intervention as a respected leader to help secure the release of their confiscated cattle.
“This was purely a humanitarian effort on his part, yet he was unfairly detained without evidence linking him to the events in Tudun Wada.
“Efforts by our legal representatives to meet with Alhaji Bello Bodejo have been stonewalled.
“On visiting the 117 Battalion, both I and his legal counsel were denied access to him.
“The commanding officer claimed that permission to see him could only come from above,” Waziri explained.
Waziri added that the unlawful arrest of Bodejo is a gross injustice, while calling on the Chief of Army Staff and other relevant authorities to ensure his immediate and unconditional release.
“We call on the chief of army staff and other relevant authorities to order the immediate and unconditional release of Alhaji Bello Bodejo, as no evidence has been presented linking him to any wrongdoing.
“Direct the 117 Battalion to grant his legal representatives unhindered access to him.
“Ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident at Tudun Wada to establish the facts and ensure justice for all parties involved,” he added.
DAILY POST reports that this is not the first time Bodejo has faced legal challenges.
In January, he was arrested for launching a vigilante group under the Miyetti Allah banner in Nasarawa State. The Federal Government accused him of forming an ethnic militia and filed charges against him, leading to a high-profile legal battle.
In March, Bodejo was arraigned on charges of establishing an ethnic militia, to which he pleaded not guilty. However, he was discharged of terrorism-related charges in May after the Attorney General’s office withdrew the case.
The family has urged the military authorities to allow a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident at Tudun Wada. They emphasized the need for justice for all parties involved while decrying what they described as a politically motivated targeting of their relative.
The Nigerian Army has not yet released an official statement regarding the arrest.
