Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has alleged that the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, was behind the establishment of the ethnic militia group, Kungiya Zaman Lafiya. On the premise, he is currently facing terrorism charges. After being charged with terrorism, it was gathered that the offence was punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
However, he narrated his ordeal with Governor Sule and the ethnic militia. In furtherance, he exposed that the group stemmed from the governor’s call for a vigilante group.
Bodejo said, “I was arrested because of the vigilantes I paraded in Nasarawa State. Sometime in early January 2024, Governor Sule called me and said that he wanted me to see him concerning a Fulani group called Kungiya Zaman Lafiya, which I told him I didn’t know about.
“The governor said what he called me for was because all the governors had agreed to form vigilante groups in their states like Katsina State had done, but he did not want to organise his like other state governors.
He said he wanted to use all those who participated in the political rally before the election. And he intended to link them with the Army, and they would work for him as vigilantes.
“The governor asked if I could work with Akajo, the leader of the group, and I told him that I couldn’t come down to work with Akajo because I am from the national level. Later, I called Akajo to meet me, and we discussed how to operate the Kungiya Zaman Lafiya in the state. I told the Emir of Lafia that people complained about the group, and I didn’t like them.
“However, I asked Akajo about the number of his men. He said there were about 700 men. I demanded their ID cards, which he showed me; the ID cards were authorised and signed by the CSO for the Nasarawa State governor. About two weeks later, Governor A. A. Sule called me to come with Akajo.”
He revealed that he had a meeting with Sule and Akajo at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. He also mentioned that even though he had told Sule about the criticisms of Akajo’s organisation, Sule urged that Bodejo collaborate with him.
“So, I left Bauchi and sent for Akajo to meet me at the Governor’s Lodge. When I got to the lodge, I met Akajo with the governor. The governor inquired about what was happening between me and Akajo. I told him that Akajo and his group were spoiling the good name of the governor by causing crises, stealing cattle, and killing people.
“They went and cleared up the Toto LGA problem. When they got there, they gathered Fulani and harassed them. The Fulani ran away, leaving the cattle. Akajo and his group gathered the cattle and sold them. The governor insisted that I should work with him,” Miyetti Allah further narrated.
On March 22, 2024, he was subsequently arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
By Chidimma NWAFOR
