Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has called on the Federal Government to prosecute, Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, within seven days for inaugurating militia vigilante. The order was issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo on yesterday, following the expiration of a previous order granting the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) permission to remand Bodejo for 15 days in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The AGF had sought the remand order in a motion ex-parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/141/2024, filed on February 5, 2024 by M.B. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions.
According to the motion, Bodejo should be remanded pending conclusion of investigation and his subsequent arraignment.
Recall that Bodejo was arrested on January 23 at Miyetti Allah’s office in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State following the unveiling of an illegal militia vigilante group by the Fulani socio-cultural organisation and parading them to the general public with mandate.m
Attached to the motion, a litigation officer, Noma Wando, of the Ministry of Justice, confirmed that Bodejo was illegally raising an armed militia contrary to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and against the unity of the country.
Bodejo crime has fallen within the purview of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022, capable of thwarting the national cohesion of the country.
During the first hearing yesterday, F.N. Umoh, counsel for the AGF, informed the court that the NIA had forwarded Bodejo’s statement to the minister’s office on a day earlier.
However, due to bureaucratic processes of the office, they could not complete filing the charges as directed by the court, and therefore requires more time.
Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo has adjoined the next hearing to march 1st, 2024 and have also granted the request of AGF counsel.