Gov Sule Ordered Me to Establish Militia Group – Miyetti Allah Leader

The Miyetti Allah leader claimed that the governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, pressured him to form the militia group.

Recall that Bello Bodejo was arrested by operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency on January 23, 2024, at the group’s office in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State for allegedly unveiling a militia group and has been in custody since then.

He was accused of establishing the Kungiya Zaman Lafiya ethnic militia in Nasarawa State without authorisation.

The Miyetti Allah leader was later arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on three counts of terrorism on March 22, 2024.

However, in his confessional statement, Bodejo alleged that the Nasarawa State governor was behind the formation of the militia group.

Bodejo said that he received a call from the governor earlier in the year expressing his desire to establish a vigilante group different from those of his counterparts.

According to him, “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 me 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 for their ID cards which he showed me; the ID cards were authorised and signed by the CSO to the Nasarawa State governor. About two weeks later, Governor A. A. Sule called me to come with Akajo.”

Bodejo said despite informing the governor of the negative narratives about Akajo’s group, the governor insisted that he (Bodejo) worked with him.