Bello Bodejo, an aspirant for the Taraba Central Senatorial District seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, has reportedly been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja after his arrest by security operatives in Jalingo, Taraba State.
Bodejo, who is also the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, was arrested on Thursday night after arriving in Jalingo through the Danbaba Suntai Airport.
According to his personal aide, Malam Umar, the APC senatorial aspirant was picked up after he visited the offices of some security agencies alongside close political associates.
Umar said Bodejo was later moved to Abuja and handed over to the EFCC, adding that the nature of the offence allegedly committed by him had not been disclosed to his family.
He alleged that the arrest was connected to Bodejo’s growing popularity in the Taraba Central Senatorial Zone race.
Umar also accused some key government officials and politicians in the state of masterminding the arrest in order to prevent Bodejo from participating in the APC screening exercise.
“As I am talking to you now, the screening of aspirants for governorship, Senate and House of Representatives seats is about to be concluded, and the aim of those behind the arrest is to prevent him from participating in the screening exercise,” Umar alleged.
Before his arrest, Bodejo had told journalists at the APC secretariat that he had purchased the senatorial nomination form and would not step down for any aspirant.
He had insisted that he remained in the race and would not bow to pressure to withdraw his ambition.
Reacting to the development, Amnesty International condemned the arrest and called on the authorities to either charge Bodejo to court if there is evidence of wrongdoing or release him.
In a statement on Sunday, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, expressed concern over what he described as the arbitrary arrest of Bodejo by the Department of State Services in Jalingo, Taraba State.
Sanusi said Bodejo was later transferred to the EFCC.
“Amnesty International is deeply concerned by the arbitrary arrest of Bello Badejo by the Department of State Services on 7 May 2026 in Jalingo, Taraba State.
“He was subsequently transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“The authorities should charge him to court, if there is evidence of any wrongdoing, or release him, instead of detaining him indefinitely in what appears to be a politically motivated and state-orchestrated abuse of power,” Sanusi said.
He cautioned security and anti-corruption agencies against being used as tools by politicians to carry out arbitrary arrests, detentions and restrictions on citizens’ rights.
Sanusi added that every individual has the right to freely participate in social and political affairs, stressing that state institutions must always uphold due process and respect the rights to freedom of association and movement.