Members of the family of President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Bello Bodejo, have called on the military high command to order the immediate release of their head.
Specifically, the Nigerian Army was accused of breaching human rights with the "illegal detention" of the President of the group.
Badejo was allegedly arrested and detained by soldiers of 117 Guards' Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on December 9.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Badejo's brother, Suleman Waziri, explained that his brother's "illegal" detention was connected to an incident that occurred on December 8.
He narrated that an incident occurred on the said day between a retired General of the Nigerian Army and herders at Tudun Wada in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
"The General reportedly discharged firearms at a herd of cattle, causing significant losses for the herders. Acting in self-defence, the herders disarmed the General and reported the matter to the police.
"Despite having no connection or involvement with this incident, Alhaji Bello Badejo was arrested on the 9th of December 2024 at his office in Maliya, Nasarawa State, in a commando-style operation carried out by the 117 Battalion.
"His arrest is wholly unwarranted and appears to be based on unfounded allegations," Waziri said, stressing that his brother had no connection with the matter.
He added, "My brother's only involvement in this matter arose when relatives of the herders approached him earlier on the morning of 9th December 2024, pleading for his intervention as a respected leader to help secure the release of their confiscated cattle.
"This was purely a humanitarian effort on his part, yet he was unfairly detained without evidence linking him to the events in Tudun Wada.
"Efforts by our legal representatives to meet with Alhaji Bello Badejo have been stonewalled. On visiting the 117 Battalion, both I and his legal counsel were denied access to him.
The Commanding Officer claimed that permission to see him could only come from "above." This denial is a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights to liberty, dignity, and legal representation."
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When contacted, the acting Public Relations Officer of the Guards' Brigade, Lt. Olokodana Odunayo, confirmed that Badejo was truly arrested.
She, however, said he has been transferred to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for further investigation.
"According to the Commanding Officer (CO) of the 177 Guards' Battalion the man has been forwarded to DIA," Odunayo said and declined further comments.
