The family of Bello Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has raised the alarm over the arrest and detention of Badejo by men of the Nigerian Army.
In a statement, Suleiman Waziri, Bodejo’s brother, said the Miyetti Allah leader was arrested on Tuesday at his office in Maliya, Nasarawa state by officers of the 117 battalion of the Nigerian Army.
Waziri said Bodejo was arrested over an incident involving some herders and a retired army general in the Tudun Wada area of Nasarawa.
“On the 8th of December 2024, an incident occurred at Tudun Wada, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, involving a retired general of the Nigerian Army,” Waziri said.
“The general reportedly discharged firearms at a herd of cattle, causing significant losses for the herders.
“Acting in self-defense, the herders disarmed the general and reported the matter to the police.”
Waziri said his brother was not involved in the incident that occurred between the herders and the retired general.
“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 said the “unlawful” arrest of Bodejo is a “gross injustice,” while calling on the military authorities to release the Miyetti Allah leader.
“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.
