Mohammed Sheriff, counsel for the detained President of Miyetti Allah KautalHore, Bello Bodejo, yesterday, said his client has yet to make any valid statement in custody.
Sheriff, who is one of the lawyers representing Bodejo before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, stated this in reaction to a newspaper publication linking Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State with his current travail.
The lawyer clarified a statement he made available to newsmen in Abuja.
In the media report with the headline, ‘How Nasarawa gov pressurised me to establish militia group, Miyetti Allah leader tells investigators’ and published on Sunday, Bodejo allegedly accused Sule of masterminding the establishment of the ethnic militia group, Kungiya Zaman Lafiya.
But reacting, Sheriff said: “We, hereby, make this rebuttal to the statement regarding the alleged creation of ethnic militia by Bodejo being circulated by some sections of the media. The publication purports to be quoting our client, Bodejo, in a supposed extra-judicial statement to investigators.
“We refute such publication as unreliable and such should be discountenanced by all. We have been in constant touch with Bodejo, who is in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and can confirm that he has yet to make any valid statement to DIA.”
Expressing shock as to the source of the statement credited to Bodejo, he urged a fair and unbiased approach to the matter, where relevant facts would be carefully examined, and legal procedures followed diligently.
“We trust that all concerned will uphold the principles of justice and act by the law. We hasten to call on members of the public to disregard statements that do not emanate from fair and accurate reports of judicial proceedings in the public interest.
“The matter is sub judice; it’s important to avoid making comments that could potentially influence ongoing legal proceedings or misrepresent the facts,” he added.
Bodejo, who was arrested on January 23 in Malia, Nasarawa State, and kept in DIA custody, and arraigned before Justice Ekwo on March 22.
His arrest was predicated on the alleged raising of an armed militia to the detriment of the country’s unity, contrary to the constitution.
