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Court permits DIA to detain Bodejo, 6 others for 60 days
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an application filed by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to detain Alhaji Bello Bodejo, President, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and six others for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by counsel to the DIA, I.O. Odom, seeking the order to detain the seven respondents for the period in the first instance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DIA, in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1875/V/2024 had sued Bodejo, Suleiman Abba, Umar Jibrin, Umar Bello, Muhammed Ayuba, Jibrin Baba and Saidu Wakili as 1st to 7th respondents respectively.
The DIA, in the motion dated and filed on Dec. 16 by Mrs N.F. Bala, sought one prayer.
That is “an order of this honourable court enabling the applicant to detain the respondents for a period of sixty (60) days in the first instance pending the conclusion of investigation.”
In the affidavit deposed to by Bonny Ozegbe, an investigating officer with DIA, he said the respondents were arrested by the Nigerian Armed Forces in Nasarawa State and were brought to DIA on Dec. 11 for further investigation regarding the suspected crimes against them and their possible prosecution by the appropriate agency.
Ozegbe alleged that all the respondents were arrested for the alleged offence of banditry and illegal arms possession.
According to him, the preliminary investigation report against the respondents reveals that they were involved in an attack against a military formation deployed to Nasarawa State during an attack on farmers and farmlands within the area.
He said the attack resulted in grievous injuries against personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other civilians as well as carting of arms and ammunition belonging to the military personnel.
“During the operation that led to the arrest of the respondents, several weapons were recovered from the respondents including Ak47 rifles and ammunitions as well as other dangerous weapons.
“The preliminary investigation report also revealed that the 2nd to 7th respondents who were involved in the incident carried out the attacks in Nasarawa State on the instructions of the 1st respondent (Bodejo) who is their leader,” he alleged.
Ozegbe said this was not the first time the Bodejo was being arrested for issues relating to insecurity in the North Central Nigeria.
He said investigation of the alleged crimes against the respondents is still ongoing, including trailing for the arrest of the fleeing accomplices and accessories, hence their safe keeping.
“If the respondents are released into society, there is a likelihood that they will continue to commit same, similar or more serious offences,” he said.
He said if they are released into society, there is a likelihood that they will jump bail and evade trial and that they may also tamper with the ongoing investigation.
“| strongly believe that the respondents pose a grave threat to national security and the entire Nigerian citizenry at large.
“A court order is necessary to remand them in Defence Intelligence Agency’s custody pending the conclusion of their investigation and arraignment in court,” he said.
The official said it would be in the interest of justice to grant a remand order of 60 days in the DIA custody pending the conclusion of their investigation and arraignment in court.
When the matter was called, Odom said he had an ex-parte motion dated Dec. 16.
“What is the nature of this matter?” the judge asked.
Odom said the application sought tye detention of the respondents.
“Why are you detaining them?” the judge asked.
The lawyer said it was on allegations of banditry and illegal possession of fire arms.
The judge asked when were they arrested and Odom said on Dec. 11.
Justice Nwite said Odom had only presented his own side of the story which the respondents may deny.
“Why I am asking this is that you have presented your own side of the story,” he said.
After he was granted the leave to move the motion, the lawyer said the application was filed pursuant to Section 66(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
He said it sought an order detaining the respondents for a 60-day period in the first instance, pending the conclusion of investigation.
Delivering the ruling, the judge said after listening to Odom, he found that the application was meritorious.
“The prayer is hereby granted,” he said.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until March 3, 2025 for mention.
NAN reports that an FCT High Court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Zubairu, had on Monday, ordered Bodejo’s release from the detention of tye Driartmemt if State Service (DSS).
Justice Zubairu, in a ruling, described Bodejo’s detention since Dec. 9 after his arrest and without being charged to court as unlawful.
Justice Zubairu made the order following an application for the order of habeas corpus subjiciendum moved against the respondents by Bodejo’s lawyer, Reuben Atabo, SAN.
The judge held that the application was meritorious having not been challenged by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the DSS DG, who were 1st and 2nd respondents in the fundamental right enforcement suit.(NAN)
The Northern Youths Consultative Forum for Justice (NYCJ) has urged Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State, citing a complete breakdown of governance, law, and order.
In a statement issued on Monday in Kano, NYCJ President Dr Sanusi Rano described the situation in Zamfara as “organised abandonment of duty” by elected officials.
“What we are witnessing in Zamfara is not governance. It is betrayal of the people,” Rano said, pointing to the absence of a functional state House of Assembly and allegations linking officials to criminal activities.
The group highlighted the suspension of 10 lawmakers who spoke out against the deteriorating security situation, arguing that their removal has left Zamfara without a legally recognised legislative body.
“This is a dictatorship of silence,” said Rano, adding that the lack of checks and balances has deepened the state’s crisis.
“The same hands that should protect Zamfara are profiting from its destruction,” Rano stated.
Calling for decisive action, the group demanded the appointment of a non-partisan administrator to rebuild the state’s institutions.
“If this is not done now, Zamfara risks becoming a permanent state of anarchy, which threatens our democracy,” Rano warned.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Monday, sentenced the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.
Nwachukwu was found guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased ( his wife) on April 8, 2022.
The judge held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.
Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022 by the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge .
The charge was on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.
In the course of trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth prosecution and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5 respectively.
The prosecution also tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court.
The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.
Shortly before sentencing, the defendant, counsel , Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment.
Similarly, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme subsequently sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1, while he was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18.
The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imprisonment in Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7 respectively. (NAN)
A group of lawyers under the banner of the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law staged a massive protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Monday, demanding a judicial inquiry into the tenure of Mele Kolo Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The protesters, led by Barrister Benjamin Theophilus, submitted a petition alleging widespread corruption, tax evasion, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds during Kyari’s leadership.
The petition highlighted several contentious issues, including inflated costs of refinery rehabilitation contracts, fraudulent crude oil allocations, mismanagement of the AKK Gas Pipeline Project, fuel subsidy fraud, and questionable crude-backed loans.
According to the petition, NNPCL under Kyari spent over $4 billion on rehabilitating the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, far exceeding an initial private-sector proposal of $1 billion for all three facilities.
“Kyari is alleged to have collaborated with consultants and contractors to conceal the actual cost of contracts and evade taxes,” the petition stated, noting that the refineries remain inefficient despite the expenditure.
The lawyers also accused Kyari of overseeing the diversion of crude oil allocations under the pretext of “pipeline security” at a rate of 80,000 barrels per day, with no transparent accountability mechanisms.
The $5 billion AKK Gas Pipeline Project was similarly flagged for irregularities in contract awards and execution, with little progress despite significant funding.
Further allegations include fuel subsidy fraud, with NNPCL reportedly increasing petroleum imports in 2020 during a global decline in fuel consumption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The petition also criticised crude-backed loans totalling $21.565 billion since 2019, which it claimed disadvantaged Nigeria by ceding trading profits to international traders.
The protesters called for a judicial commission to investigate Kyari’s tenure, probe payments to refinery contractors, and examine past audit failures.
They also urged the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to investigate suspected tax evasion and fraudulent declarations, while advocating for the recovery of any misappropriated public funds.
The Federal Ministry of Finance has yet to respond to the petition, and NNPCL officials were unavailable for comment at the time of reporting.