A Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday gave the Federal Government seven days to file charges against the detained President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order following the expiration of the earlier order granted the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to remand Bodejo for 15 days in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency pending the conclusion of investigation.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government in a motion ex-parte, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/141/2024, sought an order to remand Bodejo, the sole respondent, in the NIA custody pending the conclusion of investigation and arraignment in court.
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The motion was dated and filed on February 5 by M.B. Abubakar, Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation in the office of the AGF and Minister of Justice.
In the affidavit deposed to by Noma Wando, a litigation officer in the ministry, he said Bodejo was arrested on January 23 in Malia, Nasarawa State and was in custody.
Wando said that his arrest was predicated on the alleged raising of an armed militia in detriment of the nation’s unity contrary to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, the suspect/respondent is being investigated for offences which constitute threat to national security under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 ).
“That if the suspect/respondent is released into the society, that there Is a likelihood that he will continue to commit similar or more serious offences,” he said
Besides, Wando averred that if Bodejo was released into the society, “there is a likelihood that he will jump his administrative bail, flee and evade his trial or fail to make himself available for his trial in court.”
Justice Ekwo had on February 7 granted the ex-parte motion after it was moved by F.N. Umoh and adjourned until Thursday for a report.
When the matter was called on Thursday, Umoh said though an application to remand the suspect was granted by the court in the last adjourned date, it was yesterday (on Wednesday) that the NIA forwarded Bodejo’s statement to the AGF’s office.
He said because of the bureaucratic process, they could not file a charge as directed by the court.
He, therefore, prayed the court for a date to enable them file a charge against the Miyetti Allah boss.
When the judge asked him how long it would take him to file the charge, the lawyer said seven days.
But Abdulkarim Maude, who appeared for Bodejo, informed the court that they had filed an application for enforcement of his fundamental rights on February 7 and served the prosecution the same.
Justice Ekwo said that to make the matter simple, the prosecution should be given seven days to file so that Maude could respond appropriately.
The judge then adjourned until March 1 for Bodejo to take his plea.
