The Federal Government has arraigned the detained President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo for forming an armed militia group.
The arraignment came up at the Federal High Court Abuja presided bt Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo
Bodejo is facing a three count criminal charges bordering on his formation of an ethnic armed militia in the Tundun Wada area in Kau Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The accused President of Miyetti Allah, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges, but the prosecution lawyer, M. B. Abubakar, prayed the court to order his remand in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) as he is facing charges that border on national security.
After hearing the both sides, Justice Ekwo ruled in favour of the federal government and remanded the accused in the custody of the DIA and adjourned the matter to May 27, 2024 for commencement of trial.
Recall that Bodejo on Wednesday January 17, 2024 inaugurated a 1,144 man militia in Kau Nasarawa State with representatives of both the police and Army in attendance.
Bodejo while launching the militia had said:
“In every tribe, there are always people who will give a bad name to their kinsmen. All tribes have such people. So, that bad narrative on only the Fulani people is not good”
“The Nomad Volunteer Vigilante Group was not created to replace or undermine the efforts of our existing security agencies but rather to purely complement their work for the greater good of our country.
“The sole purpose of creating this outfit is to ensure peace, and harmony and to assist in addressing the serious levels of insecurity that have plagued our great nation which we condemn in its totality.
However, in a swift reaction, the Federal Government arrested Bodejo for alleged raising of an armed militia in detriment of the country’s unity, contrary to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Bodejo’s trial is predicated on offences which constitute threat to national security under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022)