The House of Representatives has resolved to summon the Chief of Defense Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the commanding officer of the 177 Battalion over the alleged unlawful arrest and detention of a community leader in Nasarawa State.
Honorable Mansur Soro, who introduced the motion during Tuesday’s plenary, explained that on December 9, 2024, Bello Badejo, a community leader from Maliya town in Nasarawa State, was arrested by officers of the 177 Battalion of the Nigerian Army without prior invitation or a court order.
He further stated that, one week after the arrest, Badejo has yet to be arraigned, which he described as an unlawful act by the Nigerian Army and a violation of the fundamental human rights enshrined in sections 34, 35, and 36 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).
The service chiefs have been directed to appear before the House Committees on Army, Human Rights, and Justice on Thursday, December 20, 2024.