By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Anxiety is growing in Taraba State following the arrest of the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, by suspected operatives of the Department of State Services.
Bodejo, who is seeking to contest the Taraba Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections, was reportedly arrested on Thursday evening shortly after meeting supporters in Jalingo, the state capital.
The Miyetti Allah leader was said to have received a large welcome from supporters drawn from the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district during his visit to the state.
In a statement issued in Jalingo by the Director-General of the campaign council, Alhaji Adamu Isa Kurmi, condemned the alleged arrest, describing it as politically motivated and a threat to democratic engagement.
“The Campaign Council of Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo for Senate 2027 in the Taraba Central Senatorial District hereby expresses it sadness over the unfortunate arrest of its Principal Alhaji Bello Bodejo by security agencies in Jalingo on Thursday.
Bodejo and his entourage who successfully paid homage to the party secretariat in the state capital, Jalingo was taken away from the Blue Nile Hotel Jalingo at about 6:30 pm by plain clothes security agents suspected to from the Department of State Services (DSS) and driven to an unknown destination.
“The campaign council views this development as a violation of the aspirant’s fundamental rights and an intimidation to his outlined visitation to pay respect to state party leadership and to his supporters in the Taraba Central Senatorial District.
“We in the council feel that the opponents of our Principal Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo felt very intimidated by the mammoth crowd that received the aspirant from the Jalingo Airport through the city center to the APC state secretariat.
According to him, the sophisticated and well structured procession programme of the aspirant has sent fears through the spines of his opponents but that doesn’t scare them as they are determined to bring a new lease of life to the people of Central Taraba.
“Probably, it is the fear of the strength of our aspirant that made fellow competitors are exploiting every avenue to ensure that Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo is not allowed to go through due process despite the fact he has genuinely purchased, processed and returned his Intent/Nomination forms indicating his interest to contest the Senatorial Seat for Taraba Central Senatorial District.
He said that it is on record that the Thursday May 7th 2026 visit of Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo was officially communicated to all relevant security agencies in the state and acknowledged copies of receipts were obtained filed in the office.
He appeal to the supporters of Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo within the Taraba Central Senatorial District and beyond to calm down as his legal team are not relenting in securing his release to be back to the state and continue his campaign and other electioneering programmes.
The organisation alleged that Bodejo was arrested shortly after visiting the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat as part of consultations ahead of his senatorial ambition.
The statement claimed that Bodejo was taken away from the Blue Nile Hotel in Jalingo at about 6:30 pm by plain-clothes operatives suspected to be DSS officials and moved to an undisclosed location.
“The campaign council views this development as a violation of the aspirant’s fundamental rights and an act of intimidation against his planned consultations with party leaders and supporters across Taraba Central Senatorial District,” the statement said.
The council also alleged that the large crowd that accompanied Bodejo from the Jalingo airport through major parts of the city to the APC secretariat may have unsettled his political opponents.
According to the organisation, the aspirant had complied with all legal and political requirements connected to his senatorial bid, including the purchase and submission of nomination and expression of interest forms.
It further stated that relevant security agencies had been formally informed ahead of the visit and that acknowledgement copies of the notifications were duly obtained.
The campaign council appealed to supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding, while noting that Bodejo’s legal team had already begun efforts to secure his release.
As of the time of filing this report, the DSS and other security agencies had yet to issue any official statement regarding the alleged arrest.