Admin l Thursday, July 26, 2018
ABUJA, Nigeria – Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Otunba Dino Melaye has been abducted by unknown gunmen. The Senator, according to his colleague, Senator Ben Murray Bruce was abducted by unknown persons in a Toyota Sienna that blocked his car and eventually overpowered him.
The senator was on his way to Kogi where is due to appear in a case. Senator Bruce tweeted that he was informed about the development by junior brother of the senator, Moses Melaye.
“@benmurraybruce
I have just been informed by Moses Melaye, @dino_melaye’s brother, that Dino has been abducted by unknown persons in a Toyota Sienna that blocked their car and overpowered them on their way to Kogi to answer to Dino’s court case. Lets be on the watch out. Will keep you update”, the senator said.
Recall that the senator was one of the 14 senators that defected from the All Progressive Congress(APC) on Tuesday and 24 hours later, he was arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force before and Abuja High Court for attempted suicide. Dino pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge preferred against him, and was subsequently granted bail in sum of N5 million and two sureties in like sum. Justice Silvanus Orji also ordered that the sureties must be directors in the Civil Service and be residents of the Abuja.
The prosecuting counsel, Alex Izinyon, had told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences on April 24. He said the defendant, while being conveyed in a police vehicle to Lokoja, forced his way out and escaped. Mr Izinyon further said that the defendant sat on the ground, holding a substance in one hand threatening to drink it to kill himself so that he can put the police officers in trouble.
The prosecutor also said that the defendant broke the glass of the vehicle with his elbow and caused damage to police property. He said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 148,153,173,231, 326 and 327 of the Penal Code.
The counsel to Mr Melaye, Mike Ozekhome, prayed the court to allow the bail granted to the defendant at the Magistrates’ Court Wuse on the same charges to continue.The prosecution opposed the application, adding that bail is at the discretion of the court.
