Ibadan community holds candlelight procession to honour victims of 2024 explosion

Bello Bodejo, President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, on Thursday, prayed an Abuja High Court to order his release from the State Security Service, SSS, detention facility pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application. Bodejo, in a motion ex-parte marked: M/16976/2024 and filed by his team of lawyers led by Reuben Atabo, SAN,
Miyetti Allah leader, Bodejo asks court to order his release from custody

Bello Bodejo, President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, on Thursday, prayed an Abuja High Court to order his release from the State Security Service, SSS, detention facility pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

Bodejo, in a motion ex-parte marked: M/16976/2024 and filed by his team of lawyers led by Reuben Atabo, SAN, also sought an order granting him leave to apply for the order of habeas corpus subjiciendum against the respondents.

NAN reports that Bodejo, in the motion dated and filed on Dec. 19, sued the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Director General of SSS as 1st and 2nd respondents.

He sought two orders, including “an interim order directing the respondents to, forthwith, produce the applicant from detention for him to be released, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application for habeas corpus subjiciendum”.

Giving five grounds upon which the application is predicated, the senior lawyer said that Bodejo was arrested on Dec. 9 by soldiers of the 177 Guards Battalion, Keffi of the Nigerian Army and detained at their barracks in Keffi.

He said the Nigerian Army, thereafter, transferred him to the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja up to Wednesday (Dec. 18) without being charged to any court of competent jurisdiction.

Atabo said Bodejo had been transferred from the custody of the DIA to the SSS custody in Abuja, today (Dec. 19) without being informed of the allegation against him.

The lawyer said the respondents are not desirous of diligently prosecuting his client “before a competent court of law and thus, their actions are unconstitutional and shorn of any legal basis whatsoever”.

He said the continuous and inexplicable detention of Bodejo by the respondents without trial in a competent court of law is unlawful and without justification, thus, necessitating the instant application.

In the affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte deposed to by Bodejo’s senior wife and a businesswoman, Hauwa, she said her husband is the president of Miyetti Allah, a Fulani socio-cultural organisation with his office in Kari Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.

She said on Dec. 8, there was a communal clash between some Fulanis and a retired military officer, Admiral Dan Gwari, at Shuwari Village in Karu LGA of Nasarawa State.

Hauwa said Gwari has a farmland situate at Shuwari Village, where he cultivates crops.

She said some Fulanis rearing their cattle entered the farmland belonging to Gwari on Dec. 8.

She said upon entry into the said farmland, there was exchange of words between the Fulanis and Gwari, consequent upon which the retired officer drew out his gun and began shooting at the Fulanis.

“That the Fulanis rearing the cattle however dodged the bullets he repeatedly shot at them, whereupon the bullets hit and killed about four (4) of their cows.

“That the said Fulanis thereafter proceeded to disarm ADMIRAL DAN GWARI (RI’D.) and in the process of struggling with him in order to disarm him, he accidentally sustained machete cuts on his head.

“That the Fulani Elders at the RUGA in Shuwari Village immediately took ADMIRAL DAN GWARI (RTD.) to the hospital, where he was promptly treated and discharged shortly, after the said elders had fully paid the hospital bills,” she averred.

Hauwa alleged that upon being discharged from the hospital, Gwari proceeded to the military barracks of the 177 Guards Battalion of the DIA at Keffi and mobilised some men of the Nigerian Army who subsequently stormed the RUGA Settlement, arrested several Fulani boys and further took away with them about Four Hundred (400) cows.

She said during all these incidents, Bodejo was away to Bauchi State on a business trip and was not in any way aware or privy to what had happened between Gwari and the Fulani boys/herders at Shuwari Village.

She alleged that when her husband came back on Dec. 9, some men of the 177 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army, acting on the instruction and active promptings of Gwari, came and invited him to the barracks in Keffi.

She said when Bodejo got to the barracks, he was detained, allegedly “acting on the instructions of Gwari and the Nigerian Army, thereby cutting him off from his wives, children, family members and lawyers”.

She further alleged that Bodejo was subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment in the custody.

“My husband (the applicant) called me on the phone on Dec. 11, to inform me that the Nigerian Army were taking him to an underground cell of the Defence Intelligence Agency and will blind fold him thereafter,” she said.

She said she later found that her husband had been moved on Wednesday night to the custody of SSS where he is currently being detained.

Bodejo’s wife said since her husband’s arrest and detention, he had been denied of his drugs and medications.

Hauwa, who said that the applicant would be greatly prejudiced if the application is refused, said it would be in the interest of justice to grant their motion.

No date has been given for the hearing of the motion as at the time of filing the report.

Miyetti Allah leader, Bodejo asks court to order his release from custody

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr. Musa Aliyu, SAN, has vowed to enforce the verdict of the Supreme Court on Local Government Autonomy at all costs. Speaking at a One-Day National Anti-Corruption Coalition, NACC, Members Hybrid Interactive Forum held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Aliyu
LG autonomy: ICPC boss vows to enforce Supreme Court judgement

Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr. Musa Aliyu, SAN, has vowed to enforce the verdict of the Supreme Court on Local Government Autonomy at all costs.

Speaking at a One-Day National Anti-Corruption Coalition, NACC, Members Hybrid Interactive Forum held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Aliyu warned those plotting to go against the law to check his records.

During the meeting, the ICPC boss also revealed that within the last 24 hours, the Commission has recovered about N4 billion stolen by public office holders.

The ICPC boss wondered why some government officials would keep billions of public funds in their possession.

According to him, ICPC would deploy technological measures, especially Artificial Intelligence, AI, to unravel corrupt practices easily.

Speaking on the enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government Autonomy, Aliyu said, “Local government must be governed by democratically elected people from the grassroots.

“You need to ensure that those that are going to be elected are people that have us in their mind, people that will discharge their responsibility effectively in a responsible way, and not people that will divert public funds and ICPC as a commission we will ensure we impose compliance no matter what. And those who think they can scare others should go ahead and do what they want.

“But on this issue of the Supreme Court decision, I’m telling you, we’ll work. It is the ICPC’s constitutional responsibility to enforce the Supreme Court decision.

“They can say whatever they want to say. They can do whatever they want to do. The Constitution is clear, we have to protect the integrity of our other court. I will not stand by and watch some people dismantle it. Not during my time.

“They can do it if I’m not here, but not while I’m here. I’m not scared. I’m determined. I will protect the integrity of the court. I’ll lead the fight. I put my trust in God. Nobody can do anything to me except God allows it.”

LG autonomy: ICPC boss vows to enforce Supreme Court judgement

The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives across several states in the country have arrested at least 22 armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists and hoodlums targeting fun seekers and engaging in gangsterism during Christmas celebrations. The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi made this known in a statement made available to reporters on Friday. The statement
Police arrest 22 suspected criminals, recover dangerous weapons on Christmas Day

The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives across several states in the country have arrested at least 22 armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists and hoodlums targeting fun seekers and engaging in gangsterism during Christmas celebrations.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi made this known in a statement made available to reporters on Friday.

The statement explained that at about 1 a.m. on Christmas Day, the police operatives attached to Lagos State Command, received a distress call that a group of hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons was operating around the Safejo area of Amukoko, Lagos State.

He said the swift response by the police operatives to the scene led to the arrest of three suspects identified as Emmanuel Okoli, Ogunde Tejiri, and Emmanuel Orji.

The Force PRO said the weapons the suspects were using to carry out their robbery attacks on innocent fun seekers in the area were recovered.

He noted that the police have intensified searches to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.

In a similar development, police operatives attached to Saminaka Division of the Kaduna State Command at about 8 p.m. the same day, successfully arrested one Sule Muhammad who has been actively involved in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Saminaka area.

The police said further investigation led to the recovery of a fabricated AK-47 rifle from the suspect.

“The suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious kidnapping gang who had been evading arrest since the arrest of other gang members on August 16, 2024, until his recent arrest on 25th December 2024.

“Following cooperation received from Muhammad, efforts are in top gear to apprehend other members of his gang and recover more arms and ammunition in their identified camp.

“Commendable efforts of the Nigeria Police Operatives have also been witnessed in states including Delta, Ogun Katsina, Benue, FCT and Imo, leading to the arrests of several suspects in various locations during the Christmas celebration period.

“The IGP has commended the officers involved in these operations for their vigilance and commitment to public safety, highlighting their display of exemplary dedication in safeguarding our communities, especially during this joyful season.

“The IGP urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities,” the statement added.

Police arrest 22 suspected criminals, recover dangerous weapons on Christmas Day