Bolo is a known taskforce commander who has assisted security agencies.
There is tension in Rigasa community, in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, over the arrest of a commander with the Kaduna State Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF), Aminu Sani, popularly known as Bolo, by the Nigerian military.
According to Daily Trust, the community where Bolo resided as well as his family members have expressed concerns over his alleged torture by the military and have called on Governor Nasir El-Rufai to intervene.
The commander’s younger brother, Haruna Sani said for over 30 days, they had been denied full access to Bolo and were therefore concerned about his health, especially, since some pictures of Bolo being chained to a hospital bed surfaced.
“We don’t know his health situation at the hospital but his lawyer told us he is still alive. The truth is we are worried,” he said.
One of the leaders in the community noted that the detained commander should have been handed over to the police for prosecution if the military had evidence against him.
A case had been filed at the State High Court demanding N500million in damages against the military for illegal detention and infringement of Bolo’s fundamental human right, Bolo’s lawyer Barrister Abdulrashid Aminu revealed.
The lawyer explained that they had petitioned the Department of State Security, the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army before filing the case.
He asserted that Bolo is a known taskforce commander who has assisted security agencies.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command had disassociated itself from the arrest saying they were not informed by the military on why Bolo was arrested.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige said: “The command is not aware of his arrest because the military didn’t notify us and so we don’t know his whereabouts or why they arrested him.”
SaharaReporters had reported that the Military High Command had disclosed that the head of vigilantes in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State, Aminu Sani, popularly known as Bolo, was arrested because he was allegedly aiding bandits.[story_link align="left"]102156[/story_link]
Brig Gen Bernard Onyeuko, the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, told journalists on Thursday that troops of the Nigerian Army attached to the Operation Thunder Strike and Whirl Punch arrested Bolo for allegedly having ties to bandits.
Onyeuko said a bandit arrested on December 3, 2021, at Paka community in Igabi Local Government Area of the state told the military that Bolo was aiding banditry.
He said, "The general security situation in the Operation Thunder Strike/Whirl Punch theatres was relatively calm within the period in focus. However, a few incidents of security concern were recorded.
”In the course of the operations within the period, troops intercepted and arrested criminal elements as well as recovered arms and ammunitions.
”Notably, on 3 December 2021, troops arrested a notorious armed bandit at Paka community in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State, who revealed that the Head of vigilantes in Rigasa aids armed banditry and is involved in some attacks and kidnap incidents in the environment.
”Other incidents with significant results were recorded at; Hayin Gada and Rugan Alhaji Ori villages in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State."