Fresh controversy has emerged in Taraba state following the arrest and continued detention of frontline Taraba Central Senatorial aspirant, Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, with allegations that pressure is being mounted on him to withdraw from the 2027 senatorial contest.
He also urged Bodejo’s supporters to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding while the matter is being resolved.
Bodejo was reportedly arrested in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital, on May 7, 2026, by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, before being flown to Abuja overnight.
Sources disclosed that he was subsequently transferred to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he has remained in detention till now.
Sources close to the matter alleged that barely 48 hours after his detention, authorities approached the senatorial hopeful with a request to withdraw from the 2027 race as part of conditions for his release.
The sources further claimed that Bodejo, who also serves as National President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Socio-Cultural Association, was advised to shelve his ambition until 2031.
Reacting to the development, Bodejo’s Campaign Director, Adamu Isa, condemned the manner of the arrest and subsequent transfer of the aspirant to Abuja.
Describing the incident as humiliating, Isa alleged that Bodejo was treated “like a common criminal” in the presence of his supporters.
“Bodejo, a member of the All Progressives Congress, had made significant contributions to the party, including supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election through personal resources and political networks.
Those opposed to Bodejo’s senatorial ambition should have pursued dialogue rather than allegedly resorting to intimidation through security agencies,” Isa stated.
According to him, Bodejo remains a law-abiding citizen with the constitutional right to contest or withdraw from the race at his discretion, stressing that any resolution must come through peaceful dialogue among stakeholders.
He further alleged that the consensus committee reportedly set up by the Taraba chapter of the APC never invited Bodejo for discussions before his arrest.
The campaign director appealed to the national leadership of the APC and other key stakeholders to intervene and ensure justice, including the immediate release of the aspirant.
Controversy deepens over detention of Taraba senatorial hopeful, Bodejo