News

Unlawful Arrest , Detention Of Alhaji Bello Badejo By 117 Battalion, Nigeria Army

Published

2 years ago

December 10, 2024

My name is Suleiman waziri, and I am the brother of Alhaji Bello Badejo, a respected community leader and businessman based in Maliya, Nasarawa State. It is with deep concern and disappointment that I address the public today regarding the unlawful arrest and continued detention of my brother by officers of the 117 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Keffi, Nasarawa State.

On the 8th of December 2024, an incident occurred at Tudun Wada, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, involving a retired General of the Nigerian Army. The General reportedly discharged firearms at a herd of cattle, causing significant losses for the herders. Acting in self-defense, the herders disarmed the General and reported the matter to the police.

Despite having no connection or involvement with this incident, Alhaji Bello Badejo was arrested on the 9th of December 2024 at his office in Maliya, Nasarawa State, in a commando-style operation carried out by the 117 Battalion. His arrest is wholly unwarranted and appears to be based on unfounded allegations.

My brother’s only involvement in this matter arose when relatives of the herders approached him earlier on the morning of 9th December 2024, pleading for his intervention as a respected leader to help secure the release of their confiscated cattle. This was purely a humanitarian effort on his part, yet he was unfairly detained without evidence linking him to the events in Tudun Wada.

Efforts by our legal representatives to meet with Alhaji Bello Badejo have been stonewalled. On visiting the 117 Battalion, both I and his legal counsel were denied access to him. The Commanding Officer claimed that permission to see him could only come from “above.” This denial is a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights to liberty, dignity, and legal representation.

We wish to emphasize the following points:

Alhaji Bello Badejo is innocent and has no connection to the alleged incident or the herders involved. He was with me in Maliya on 8th and 9th December 2024, preparing for the opening of the Maliya Market Ceremony.
His continued detention without formal charges or court proceedings violates his fundamental rights as enshrined in Sections 34, 35, and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The denial of access to his legal representatives is an additional breach of his right to fair hearing and legal defense.

We call on the Chief of Army Staff and other relevant authorities to:

Order the immediate and unconditional release of Alhaji Bello Badejo, as no evidence has been presented linking him to any wrongdoing.
Direct the 117 Battalion to grant his legal representatives unhindered access to him.
Ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident at Tudun Wada to establish the facts and ensure justice for all parties involved.

The unlawful arrest and continued detention of an innocent man is not only a gross injustice but also undermines the trust between citizens and the institutions meant to protect them. We urge the Nigerian Army to act swiftly to correct this wrongful act and restore the rights and dignity of Alhaji Bello Badejo.

We appeal to the public, the media, and human rights organizations to support us in ensuring that justice prevails in this matter.

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Politics

APC Alleges Atiku, ADC Plot to Undermine Kaduna Campaign Flag-Off

Published

4 hours ago

October 24, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of allegedly orchestrating a disinformation campaign to discredit the party’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Saturday, October 24, 2026, the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, alleged that the former vice president and the ADC planned to circulate fake news, manipulated documents and doctored videos to undermine the campaign, President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other APC leaders.
Alake claimed that the alleged disinformation campaign involved the use of artificial intelligence, deepfake videos, counterfeit documents and social media platforms to manipulate public opinion.
According to him, the alleged plot had already begun with the circulation of a photograph showing a security vehicle on routine patrol near an APC campaign billboard in Kaduna metropolis.

He alleged that the image was misrepresented to suggest that security personnel had been deployed to protect APC billboards, adding that the narrative was subsequently published by a national newspaper and shared by Atiku on his official social media accounts.

The APC spokesperson further alleged that another document had been circulated online, purportedly showing a letter from Governor Uba Sani to the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, concerning an alleged release of ₦2.3 trillion by the Kaduna State Government to host the rally.

Describing the claim as baseless, Alake questioned the possibility of a state government spending such an amount on a political rally.

He noted that Kaduna State’s budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026 stood at ₦458.271 billion, ₦790.439 billion and ₦985.9 billion, respectively.

According to him, the combined budgets for the three years amounted to less than ₦2.3 trillion, which he cited as evidence to challenge the claim circulating online.

Alake also alleged that the ADC and Atiku’s supporters were preparing to circulate old, manipulated and deepfake videos during the rally to create the impression of public resentment against the APC.

The council urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and verify information before sharing it, warning against the spread of misleading content on social media and other platforms.It further accused Atiku and the ADC of resorting to what it described as desperate tactics to gain political advantage ahead of future electoral contests.

The allegations were contained in a statement signed by Alake on behalf of the APC Presidential Campaign Council on Saturday.Atiku Abubakar and the ADC’s response to the allegations was not included in the statement.

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