The father of Bashir Hadejia, who was allegedly unlawfully detained on the directive of Defence Minister of State Bello Matawalle, has expressed grave concerns for the safety of his family.

In a press statement obtained by PRNigeria, Alhaji Umar Hadejia revealed that the Inspector General of Police had unlawfully detained him and his five children at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) unit in Abuja.

He said this occurred following orders from Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. The family was reportedly taken into custody on September 30, 2024, around 6 PM, without warrants or formal charges, just after Bashir had been granted bail.

Alhaji Hadejia’s statement comes amidst allegations that his son had previously been the target of unsubstantiated claims made by the police and circulated widely on social media. According to Hadejia, subsequent police investigations revealed no basis for these allegations, prompting authorities to refrain from formally charging Bashir.

“I, along with my five children—Bashir, Bello, Mahmud, Abubakar, and Ahmad—have been unlawfully detained without any warrant of arrest or charges against us at the IRT unit in Abuja by the Inspector General of Police, under the directive of Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, since September 30, 2024,” Hadejia stated.

He continued, “The previously unfounded allegations against Bashir, propagated by the Inspector General of Police and Minister Matawalle, were proven false through police investigations, which found no grounds for charging Bashir. Despite securing a court order for Bashir’s release, the police have continued to detain my family and me unlawfully, without any reason given.”

PRNigeria reports that Bashir’s troubles started when armed men, allegedly operating under the Defence Minister’s orders, raided his home, brutally beating him before taking him to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). Upon arrival, DIA operatives were concerned about Bashir’s condition and promptly transferred him to the Aso Clinic for medical attention. Later, he was handed over to the police. Despite being granted bail and released on September 26, Bashir was re-detained, this time with his father and three younger brothers.

It gathered that Bashir had established a business relationship with Matawalle as Governor of Zamfara State. Following Matawalle’s unsuccessful bid for re-election in 2023, tensions flared between the two when Bashir developed a similar professional relationship with the current Governor, Dauda Lawal Dare.

The Inspector General of Police and the Minister of State for Defence have not publicly addressed these serious allegations, despite PRNigeria’s outreach to their spokespersons. Alhaji Hadejia concluded with a plea for justice, stating, “I fear for our lives and safety as we continue to be held without just cause.”
By PRNigeria