The family of the detained President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Badejo, has called on the Nigerian military high command to immediately release him.
They also accused the military of violating his human rights through what they described as “illegal detention.
Badejo was reportedly arrested by soldiers from the 117 Guards’ Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Keffi, Nasarawa State, on December 9, following an incident involving herders and a retired General of the Nigerian Army at Tudun Wada in Karu Local Government Area.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Badejo’s brother, Suleman Waziri, alleged that his brother’s detention is unlawful and unconnected to any wrongdoing on his part.
The family accused the Nigerian Army of breaching Badejo’s human rights, describing the detention as an overreach of military authority.
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.
