By Citizenship Daily
The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, to ensure the immediate release of a Nasarawa community leader, Bello Badejo, who is currently in the custody of the 177 Battalion of the Nigerian Army.
The House resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Mansur Soro, who represents Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.
The motion titled, “Urgent need to preserve public order and to intervene in the unlawful arrest and detention of a community leader, Alhaji Bello Badejo by the officers of 177 Battalion of the Nigerian Army.”
Rallying his colleagues for support, Mr. Soro highlighted the limitations placed by the laws of the federation on the Nigerian military, noting that their role is primarily to safeguard the nation’s external and territorial integrity, as well as to assist civil authorities when necessary.
He stated: “On December 9, 2024, a respected community leader, Alhaji Bello Badejo, was apprehended in Maliya town, Nasarawa State, in a commando-style operation by officers of the 177 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, without any prior invitation or court order.”
He stated that “On December 9, 2024, “A distinguished community leader in person of Alhaji Bello Badejo was arrested in Maliya town of Nassarawa State in a commando style by the officers of the 177 battalion of the Nigerian Army with no prior invitation or court injunction.”
He added that the arrest “Is allegedly in connection to a misunderstanding between a retired military general and some members of the Maliya community.”
Following the overwhelming support for the bill, the House called on the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff to order the immediate release of Alh Bello Badejo from unlawful detention and to also apologize to him for infringing on his constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental human rights.
The House condemned the actions of officers of the 177 Battalion for overstepping their constitutional boundaries by attempting to assume the roles of the Nigerian Police and the judiciary in resolving disputes among citizens.
In a decisive move, the House resolved to summon the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Commanding Officer of the 177 Battalion to appear before its Committees on Army, Human Rights, and Justice. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 20, 2024, at 3:00 PM, where they are expected to provide explanations for the conduct of officers under their command, which allegedly contravenes the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
