In another twist of events, Bello Bodejo,a leader of Miyetti Allah and an aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Taraba Central Senatorial District, was arrested on Thursday night shortly after addressing a large crowd of supporters in Jalingo.
Available information on Friday indicated that the arrest followed his formal declaration contest in the 2027 general election.
Bodejo, who is the president of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, had earlier arrived in Jalingo aboard a private jet through the Danbaba Suntai Airport at about 1:20pm.
He was received by thousands of supporters drawn from the five local government areas that make up the Taraba Central senatorial zone.
Speaking to Daily Trust in a telephone interview, Bodejo’s personal aide, Umar, said the APC aspirant was arrested after visiting some security agencies’ offices alongside close political associates.
According to him, the arrest occurred at one of the security offices shortly after Bodejo addressed supporters at the APC state secretariat in Jalingo.
Umar said the associates who accompanied him were asked to leave immediately, while Bodejo was detained.
“At the moment, we do not know where he has been taken to,” he said.
“The same security personnel that escorted and protected him from Abuja to Jalingo were the ones who later arrested him.
“We are yet to be informed of the reason for his arrest, and our major concern now is that we do not know where he is being detained,” Umar added.
Before his arrest, Bodejo had told journalists at the APC secretariat that he purchased the senatorial nomination form to contest the election and would not step down for any aspirant.
He insisted that he remained committed to the race and would not bow to pressure to withdraw his ambition.
“I am in this race to win, and nobody is going to force me to step down,” he declared.
The APC aspirant also disclosed that the consensus committee reportedly set up by Governor Agbu Kefas to engage aspirants across the three senatorial zones of the state had not contacted him.
“The consensus committee set up by the governor has not contacted me, and let me make it clear that I will not step down for anybody, no matter the pressure,” Bodejo said.
This is not the first time that he would be arrested.
In 2024, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested him over alleged creation of a vigilante group in Nasarawa State.
Bodejo was arrested at the Miyetti Allah Katal Houre’s Head Office at Tundun Maliya Cattle Market, Kilometre 22, Abuja-Keffi Expressway, Tundun-Wada, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The DSS operatives, alongside some soldiers of the Nigerian Army, were said to have stormed the Miyetti Allah’s Head Office at about 3:40 pm, and they drove off after arresting Bodejo at the gate.
No official reason has been disclosed for this latest arrest and it is unclear if it is political or has anything to do with security.
