The Federal Government on Friday, arraigned the detained President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, on a three-count terrorism charge.
The defendant, who has been in detention since January 23, was further remanded in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA, after he pleaded not guilty to the charge that was read to him before trial Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
It will be recalled that Bodejo was arrested at the Miyetti Allah’s office in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state shortly after he unveiled a vigilante group.
Following his arrest, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on February 5, through an ex-parte motion, obtained an order that allowed the government to keep him in custody, pending the conclusion of the investigation and his arraignment in court.
Based on the strength of the AGF’s application and an affidavit that was attached to it, Justice Ekwo initially gave FG the nod to detain the defendant for 15 days.
The court, on February 22, further extended the detention order, even as it directed FG to within seven days, file a charge against Bodejo.
Justice Ekwo ordered that the detainee should be taken before a court of competent jurisdiction for arraignment.
Counsel to the defendant, Mr. Mohammed Sheriff, had on the last adjourned date, notified the court that he applied for the unconditional release of his client from the custody of the DIA.
He urged the court to release him on bail, pending the arraignment.
His request was opposed by a lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ms. Y.A. Imana, who urged the court to refuse the bail application
FG told the trial judge that Bodejo, whose followers besieged the court premises with placards to demand his release, was detained in the interest of national security.
Meanwhile, before the defendant took his plea on Friday, the defence lawyer drew the attention of the court to the fundamental rights enforcement application he filed on behalf of his client.
In a short ruling, Justice Ekwo dismissed the application on the premise that it had been overtaken by events owing to the charge that was brought before the court by FG.
“A matter is said to be overtaken by the event when something happens that can change the original course of action, or, when there is a superseding course occurs that makes a previous course of action no longer a suitable pursuit.
“In judicial consideration, a matter overtaken by event means that by the prevailing circumstance, a previous course of action has lost its currency and by that, become academic,” Justice Ekwo held.
He, therefore, ordered the defendant to enter his plea to the charge that was anchored on section 159 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
The prosecution counsel told the court that FG has lined up witnesses to testify in the matter, even as he applied for the defendant to be further remanded in the custody of the DIA.
While granting the application, Justice Ekwo ordered that the defendant should be given adequate medical attention at the detention facility.
He further warned against mobilising people to come around the vicinity of the court to protest for the defendant’s release.
“Tell the defendant. Those who are drumming, thinking it is a carnival, they will face the trial,” the trial judge warned.
More so, the court said it would allow at least 10 family members of the defendant to be around to witness the proceedings.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 27, 28, 29 and 30.
A count in the charge against the defendant read: “That you, Bello Bodejo, Male, Adult, on or before the 17th Day of January. 2024, at Lafia, Nassarawa State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed an offence to wit: you established an ethnic militia known as Kungiya Zaman Lafiya, without authorization and thereby committed an act prejudicial to national security and public safety, and an offence punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
