Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled a hearing on March 13 on the motion filed by Bello Bodejo, the jailed President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, requesting unconditional release from the Defence Intelligence Agency’s custody.
Bodejo’s action on notice seeks a direction instructing the Federal Government to unconditionally release him until his arraignment or prosecution in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Mr Bodejo was arrested on January 23 at the Miyetti Allah headquarters in Karu LGA, Nasarawa state, for exposing a vigilante group.
On February 5, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, filed an ex parte application to remand Bodejo awaiting the outcome of the inquiry and his arraignment in court.
Justice Ekwo had ordered that Bodejo be remanded in the Defence Intelligence Agency’s custody for 15 days.
He also ordered the FG seven days to bring charges against Bodejo.
However, Bodejo was not present in court during the day’s sessions. Counsel for the AGF informed the court that the agency has yet to transfer Bodejo’s file to her office.
She added that her office had written three letters to the investigating agency requesting that they transmit the duplicate case file to them, but owing to the complexity of the inquiry, the agency had yet to provide her with the file.
In his statement, counsel for Bodejo told the court that multiple efforts were made to have his client released to them until his arraignment, and he had spent 43 days in detention with no charge filed before any court of competent jurisdiction.
Justice Ekwo stated that the prosecution was unprepared and that the defendant will also receive a hearing date.
He adjourned the matter to March 13 for Bodejo’s motion on notice be taken.