The President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, has refuted the terrorism accusations made against him by the federal government.
Bodejo, who is currently facing charges in the Federal High Court in Abuja, has also denied any involvement in the formation of an ethnic militia group called Kungiya Zaman Lafiya.
Bodejo’s brother, Mohammed Musa, stated in an affidavit supporting his bail application dated March 28, 2024, that Bodejo only operated a registered vigilante company that provided security services to the community and promoted peace.
He said, “The defendant/applicant neither established nor has any involvement with the Kungiya Zaman Lafiya ethnic militia group, as alleged in the charge preferred against him on the 12th March 2024.
“The defendant/applicant only established a vigilante company, which was duly registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 as Nomad Vigilante Nigeria Limited as opposed to an ethnic militia known as Kungiya Zaman Lafiya, as alleged by the complainant in the charge preferred against the defendant/applicant.
“The aim of establishing the vigilante company is to render security services to the members of society and promote peace but not to commit any act of terrorism whatsoever.”
In a counter-affidavit filed on April 2 by Noma Ganau Wando, a litigation clerk in the Department of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Government requested the court to reject Bodejo’s bail application.
Wando argued that Bodejo was not actually facing a life-threatening illness, despite his claims.
Additionally, Wando stated that the defendant would not show up for trial if released on bail.
He said, “All the facts deposed to by the deponent about ill health and heart failure, among others in the affidavit brought before this honourable court, have not been proven to be cogent, credible, material or genuine to support his application to enable the court to exercise its discretion in his favour.
“The defendant/applicant will not show up for his trial if granted bail due to the gravity of the alleged offences and the severity of punishment prescribed by law.”
During the bail hearing on Wednesday, Dr. Sulaiman Usman (SAN), the defendant’s counsel, requested an adjournment because the Federal Government brought up new issues in their counter-affidavit that he needed time to address. The prosecution lawyer, Y. A. Imana, did not object to Usman’s request for an adjournment.
Usman also asked the court to order the Defence Intelligence Agency to allow Bodejo to meet with his lawyers. He explained that his client needed time to prepare for the trial and access to legal counsel.
Usman stated, “We urge Your Lordship to order the DIA to grant the defendant access to his lawyers. He needs to be prepared for the trial.”
However, the prosecutor argued that Bodejo had not been denied access to his lawyers.
She said, “I don’t agree with him. After the last time that court ordered that he should be given medical attention and lawyers, we wrote them and the feedback we got was that the counsel had visited him.”
In his response, Justice Ekwo said, “Report to the court at any time you are denied access to him.”
Bodejo was taken into custody on January 23 at the Miyetti Allah office in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State for reportedly revealing the existence of a militia group.
