Fulani group condemns Army detention of Bello Bodejo

A socio-Fulani youth group has condemned in strong terms, the continued detention of the President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a socio-Fulani cultural organization, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo.

The convener of the group, Amb. Mohammed Tasiu Suleiman described Bello Bodejo’s continued detention by the Nigerian Army as illegal and a breach of his fundamental rights.

According to him, the Army has no constitutional power to detain any person beyond 24-hours, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and order his immediate release.

He said that the Miyetti Allah Leader was picked up at his office in Tudun Wada, Karu LGA of Nasarawa State where he is being held at the facility of the Nigerian Army in Asokoro area of the Federal Capital Territory.

Mohammmed Suleiman stressed that “the constitution is clear, The Nigerian Army is not empowered by our laws to detain a citizen without charging him to court. Therefore his continued detention without charging him to court is a bridge of the country constitutional process.”

The group called on the Army to hand over the Fulani leader to the Police or the DSS who are legally empowered to investigate a citizen saying that,”By this illegal act, the Army is going outside its constitutional duty.”

The group also called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to as a matter of urgency order the immediate release of Bello Bodejo.

“The Nigerian Army had no constitutional power to detain any person beyond 24-hours without charging him/her to court. Therefore, the detention of our Leader, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, is alien to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” FUYAN, stated.

The continued detention of Bello Bodejo by the Nigerian Army without trial, the Fulani youth leader said was a smack of impunity of the highest order and their Lawyers are warming up to this matter.

According to him, “If the Army has any evidence against Bello Bodejo, committing an offence known to law, he should be arraigned before a competent court. Subjecting him to illegal detention is an infringement on his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution.”

He stressed that The Nigerian security apparatus are known for professionalism and respecters of rule of law and are expected to demonstrate such by granting Bodejo his constitutional rights as a law abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He was arrested recently in connection with the inauguration of Nomad Vigilante Group in Lafia, the Nasarawa State’s capital on January 17 following public outcry.

His arrest came days after representatives of the country’s security agencies attended the event and admonished the group to operate according to the existing laws.

During the inauguration, Bello Bodejo said that the primary objective of the group is to help secure the livelihoods of farmers and herders, aid in information gathering and intelligence to the Nigerian security agencies of criminals and criminalities within the local communities as well as encourage peace in rural communities.

The group called for calm and called on the Nigerian Army to allow the constitution process to take its course in ensuring that, his rights and freedom are not bridges.