On Wednesday, a Federal High Court session in Abuja witnessed the discharge of Miyetti Allah Kautal Kore’s President, Alhaji Bello Bodejo, from an alleged terrorism charge leveled against him by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a succinct ruling, discharged Bodejo following an oral application by counsel for the AGF, Aderonke Imana, for the withdrawal of the three-count charge.
Imana informed the court upon resuming the hearing that the application was in accordance with Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and was predicated on the AGF’s power under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). She stated, “Consequently, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation has instructed me to withdraw this charge against the defendant in the interest of justice.”
Bodejo’s legal team, led by Ahmed Raji, SAN, did not contest the application. Expressing gratitude, Raji thanked the AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, for his “magnanimous gesture” and urged the court to discharge the accused person under the relevant sections referred to by the prosecutor.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo acknowledged that though the trial was set to commence, the prosecution applied to withdraw the charge citing relevant legal provisions. He declared, “Consequently, an order is hereby made discharging the defendant. That is the order of this court.”
Bodejo was apprehended on allegations of raising an armed militia detrimental to the nation’s unity. He was arrested on January 23 in Malia, Nasarawa State, and subsequently arraigned on March 22 on a three-count charge bordering on terrorism, to which he pleaded not guilty. Despite the initial remand in the Defence Intelligence Agency’s facility pending trial, Bodejo applied for bail on April 3, asserting his innocence and citing his impeccable reputation. However, his bail plea was dismissed by Justice Ekwo on Monday, with the trial set to commence today.
