Miyetti Allah President Cleared Of Terrorism Allegations In Court

Miyetti Allah President Cleared Of Terrorism Allegations In Court

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday discharged Alhaji Bello Bodejo, President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Kore, from terrorism charges filed by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)……….CONTINUE READING

In a brief ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo discharged Bodejo after the AGF’s counsel, Aderonke Imana, submitted an oral application to withdraw the three-count charge.

At the hearing, Imana cited Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the AGF’s authority under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation has instructed me to withdraw this charge against the defendant in the interest of justice. That is our humble application, my lord,” Imana stated.

Bodejo’s defense team, including Johnson Usman, SAN, and led by Ahmed Raji, SAN, did not oppose the withdrawal. Raji expressed gratitude to the AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for his “magnanimous gesture,” and requested the court to discharge Bodejo based on the cited legal provisions.

Justice Ekwo acknowledged the application and declared, “The court is hereby moved to consider the application for the discharge of the defendant. Consequently, an order is hereby made discharging the defendant. That is the order of this court.”

Bodejo had been arrested on allegations of raising an armed militia, compromising national unity. Arrested on January 23 in Malia, Nasarawa State, he was detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency and arraigned on March 22 under charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/141/2024. He pleaded not guilty to the three-count terrorism charge and was remanded pending trial.

On April 3, Bodejo applied for bail, asserting through his lawyer Raji that he had no criminal record and emphasizing the bailable nature of the charges. He argued that under Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he was presumed innocent until proven guilty. Bodejo assured the court of his reliability and commitment to not absconding if granted bail.

During the April 30 bail hearing, Raji contended that the Federal Government’s counter affidavit failed to justify why Bodejo should not be granted bail, noting the prosecution’s lack of evidence tying him directly to terrorism. Instead, Bodejo was accused of forming a group intended for peaceful coexistence and security services, not terrorism.

Imana, representing the prosecution, disagreed with these claims, but the court’s ruling ultimately favored Bodejo

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