Security operatives on Thursday night arrested Bello Bodejo, an aspirant for the Taraba Central Senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
Bodejo, who is also the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, was arrested in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, hours after arriving the state aboard a private jet through the Danbaba Suntai Airport at about 1:20pm.
The APC aspirant was received at the airport by a large crowd of supporters drawn from the five local government areas that make up the Taraba Central senatorial district.
His personal aide, Umar, confirmed the arrest during a telephone interview, saying Bodejo was detained after visiting some security agencies’ offices alongside political associates.
According to him, the arrest occurred shortly after Bodejo addressed supporters at the APC state secretariat in Jalingo.
He said the associates who accompanied the aspirant were asked to leave the premises while Bodejo was held by the operatives.
“At the moment, we do not know where he has been taken to,” Umar said.
“The same security personnel that escorted and protected him from Abuja to Jalingo were the ones who later arrested him. We have not been informed of the reason for his arrest, and our major concern is that his whereabouts remain unknown.”
Before his arrest, Bodejo had told journalists at the APC secretariat that he had purchased the party’s senatorial nomination form and would not step down for any aspirant.
“I am in this race to win, and nobody is going to force me to step down,” he said, adding that he remained committed to pursuing his ambition despite alleged pressure.
He also disclosed that a consensus committee reportedly set up by Governor Agbu Kefas to engage aspirants across the state’s three senatorial zones had not contacted him.
“The consensus committee set up by the governor has not reached out to me, and I will not step down for anybody, no matter the pressure,” he added.
Bodejo had previously been arrested in 2024 by operatives of the Department of State Services over the alleged creation of a vigilante group in Nasarawa State.
During that operation, security personnel reportedly arrested him at the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore head office located at Tundun Maliya Cattle Market along the Abuja–Keffi Expressway in Karu Local Government Area.
As of the time of filing this report, it remains unclear whether the latest arrest is connected to political developments or security concerns.
