The Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria (FUYAN) has decried the continued detention of Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, the president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani sociocultural organisation in the country, describing it as illegal and unconstitutional.
Addressing newsmen in Kano, yesterday, Ambassador Mohammed Tasiu Suleiman, spokesman of the group, who called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, described Bodejo’s continued detention by the Nigerian Army as extrajudicial.
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According to the group, the Army has no constitutional power to detain any person beyond 24-hours, and they called on President Bola Tinubu to order his immediate release.
He also revealed that the Miyetti Allah Leader was picked up at his office in Tudun Wada, Karu LGA of Nasarawa State, and is being held at the facility of the Nigerian Army in the Asokoro area of the Federal Capital Territory since he was whisked away.
“The Nigerian Army is not empowered by our laws to detain any citizen. The police and the DSS are the only ones with the power to detain a citizen. Keeping Alhaji Bodejo for this long period is illegal. The Army should hand over our leader to the police or the DSS and grant them records of whatever they are investigating. By this illegal act, the Army is going outside its constitutional duty.
“We call on 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 to court.
“Therefore, the detention of our Leader, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, is alien to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the spokesman stated.
Suleiman however, appealed to the members of the association and kinsmen to remain calm and law-abiding as they await the release of their leader.
He further explained that the continued detention of Bello Bodejo by the Nigerian Army without trial is an act of impunity of the highest order and their legal representatives are warming up to the matter.
“If the Army have 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.
“The Nigerian security apparatus, which is known for its professionalism, respect of rule of law, should demonstrate such etiquettes known to it, by granting the president of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo his constitutional rights as a law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and should be allowed to go home as his continuous detention is illegal and unconstitutional,” he further stated.
It would be recalled that Bodejo 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.
The event held at the City Square, Lafia, had in attendance representatives of the country’s conventional security agencies who admonished the group to operate within the existing laws.
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 concerning criminals and criminalities within the local communities as well as encourage peace in rural communities.