The Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria (FUYAN) has condemned the continued detention of the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo by the Nigerian Army.
The group insisted that the detention was illegal, and warned that there would be potential legal action against the military authorities.
Bodejo was arrested following the inauguration of the Nomad Vigilante Group on the 17th of January.
In its reaction, FUYAN insisted that the Nigerian Army had overstepped it’s constitutional authority by detaining him for an extended period.
Speaking via a statement issued by its convener, Mohammed Tasiu Suleiman, on Friday morning, the group insisted that only the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) have the legal power to detain citizens.
The group called upon President Bola Tinubu to intervene urgently and ensure the immediate release of Bodejo.
“The Nigerian Army is not empowered by our laws to detain any citizen. The police and the DSS are the only ones with the power to detain a citizen. Keeping Alhaji Bodejo for this long period is illegal,” the group stated.
FUYAN emphasised that the Army should transfer Bodejo to the police, or DSS, and provide them with the necessary records for any ongoing investigations.
Emphasising the importance of adhering to legal processes, he stated: “If the Army has any evidence against Bello Bodejo committing an offence, he should be arraigned before a competent court.”