Rev. Tanko Bulus Barnabas Wastes Away Five Years in Detention Over Self-Defence Training
Jos / Abuja, August 24, 2026 — Five years after his arrest, retired Nigerian Air Force Warrant Officer and Reverend Tanko Bulus Barnabas continues to languish in detention, with human rights campaigners and Christian advocacy groups renewing urgent calls for medical attention and a review of his case.
Barnabas was arrested in September 2021 and has remained in custody in Plateau State.
Supporters say the cleric and former military personnel became involved in efforts to train or encourage local Christian communities facing repeated violent attacks to defend themselves.
They argue his actions were driven by the need to protect vulnerable residents amid persistent insecurity in parts of the state.
Formal allegations against him include disobedience to standing orders, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and conspiracy.
Reports indicate he faced court-martial processes linked to these charges while still associated with the Air Force in Jos.
Growing Concerns Over Health and Due Process
In recent weeks, activists and online advocacy groups have expressed alarm over Barnabas’s reported declining health while in detention.
Campaigners claim he requires proper medical care and that his prolonged pretrial or post-conviction incarceration raises serious questions about due process.
In May 2025, a group of Christian leaders from northern Nigeria publicly appealed to the Federal Government for intervention, citing his health condition and the broader context of insecurity in Plateau State.
Similar appeals have continued, with some international Christian advocacy organizations previously confirming that supporters had helped facilitate medication for him.
Military authorities have not issued a detailed public response in recent days addressing the specific claims about his current health or the circumstances of his ongoing detention.
Broader Debate on Self-Defence and Security
Barnabas’s case has fuelled wider debate about the legal limits of community self-defense in areas plagued by recurrent attacks, the treatment of military personnel facing disciplinary charges, and the right to fair and timely justice.
Plateau State has endured years of deadly communal violence and assaults on rural communities, often attributed by residents and observers to armed groups, including those described as Fulani militias or Islamist-linked attackers.
While Nigerian law recognises a right to reasonable self-defence against imminent threats, security agencies have long cautioned against unauthorized arming or organisation of vigilante groups, citing risks of further violence and illegal weapons proliferation.
For Barnabas’s supporters, the five-year detention of a man they describe as having acted to protect lives has become a symbol of perceived injustice.
They continue to press authorities either to conclude the legal process transparently or to grant his release, while ensuring he receives necessary medical care.
As of this report, there has been no official indication of an imminent resolution. The case remains a flashpoint in discussions over security, justice, and the rights of communities living under constant threat in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
politics Adebayo Challenges Tinubu: Where Is Subsidy Money? Come Out and Account for It
politics NDC Wins Logo Battle as Abuja Court Orders INEC to Use Modified Design
news Atiku Exposes Tinubu’s FAAC Scam: Bigger Naira, Poorer Nigerians
news Police Arrest Hafsat Abubakar Over Fake Fintech Shutdown Document Circulated Online
politics Sowore Declares Peter Obi Yelwata Blockade Government-Sponsored Political Attack
How do you feel about this news?
Community Additions
Have a news tip, correction, or extra context about this story? Post it below instantly. All submissions appear live on this screen immediately.