22nd February, 2024
By Taiye Agbaje
A Federal High Court, Abuja has asked the Federal Government to file charges against the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo who has been in detention for forming armed militia within seven days.
Bodejo was arrested for allegedly forming a vigilante group made up of members of Miyetti Allah in Nasarawa State.
The court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo had earlier granted the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) permission to remand Bodejo for 15 days in the custody of Defence Intelligence Agency (NIA) pending the conclusion of his investigation.
The Court granted the permission in its ruling in a motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/141/2024 in which the Federal sought an order to remand Bodejo, the sole respondent, in the NIA custody pending the conclusion of the investigation and his arraignment in court.
The motion was dated and filed Feb. 5 by M.B. Abubakar, Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation in the office of the AGF and Minister of Justice.
In the affidavit deposed to by Noma Wando, a litigation officer in the ministry, he said Bodejo was arrested on Jan. 23 in Malia, Nasarawa State and was in custody.
Wando said that his arrest was predicated on the alleged raising up an armed militia in detriment of the nation’s unity contrary to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, the suspect/respondent is being investigated for offences which constitute threat to national security under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 ).
“That if the suspect/respondent is released into the society, that there Is a likelihood that he will continue to commit similar or more serious offences,” he said
Besides, Wando averred that if Bodejo was released into the society, “there is a likelihood that he will jump his administrative bail, flee and evade his trial or fail to make himself available for his trial in court.”
Justice Ekwo had, on Feb. 7, granted the ex-parte motion after it was moved by F.N. Umoh and adjourned until today for a report.
When the matter was called on Thursday, Umoh said though an application to remand the suspect was granted by the court in the last adjourned date, it was yesterday (on Wednesday) that the NIA forwarded Bodejo’s statement to the AGF’s office.
He said because of bureaucratic process, they could not file a charge as directed by the court.
He, therefore, prayed the court for a date to enable them file a charge against Miyetti Allah boss.
When the judge asked him how long it would take him to file the charge, the lawyer said seven days.
But Abdulkarim Maude, who appeared for Bodejo, informed the court that they had filed an application for enforcement of his fundamental rights on Feb. 7 and served the prosecution same.
Justice Ekwo said that to make the matter simple, the prosecution should be given the seven days to file so that Maude could respond appropriately.
The judge then adjourned until March 1 for Bodejo to take his plea.
(NAN)