The lawmaker representing Kogi West district, Dino Melaye, has been reportedly abducted by gunmen in Gwagwalada, a suburb of Abuja.
Ben Murray-Bruce, a Senator representing Bayelsa East, disclosed this on Thursday via his Twitter handle.
He revealed that he got the information from Mr Melaye’s brother who said the lawmaker was reportedly kidnapped this morning after the gunmen attacked them on their way to Kogi State.
He said: I have just been informed by Moses Melaye, 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 updated.
Meanwhile, one of the associates of the lawmaker who witnessed the incident, Musa Shuaibu, told reporters that he was abducted along the Abuja-Lokoja Highway.
Shuaibu said, “As we speak, his (Melaye’s) whereabouts is unknown. Nigerians must come to his rescue.”
However, the police have yet to confirm the abduction.
Recall that the Gun running trial involving the Mr Melaye and two others was stalled on Thursday as the senator failed to appear in court.
His lawyer, Barrister Yemi Mohammed who stood in for Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN told the trial magistrate Suleyman Abdalah that he had it on good authority that Senator Dino Melaye was attacked in Gwagwalada on Wednesday on his way home from the court.
“I learnt that he was attacked yesterday in Gwagwalada on his way home from the court, up till now, I have not been able to reach him, I don’t know where he is at the moment,” he said.
He said that the prosecution counsel was not ready to open due to the reason is best known to them.
However, the officer in charge of police prosecution, Theophilus Oteme told the court that the prosecuting counsel had an emergency on Wednesday that made it extremely difficult to appear in court.
He therefore asked for long adjournment to 23 September which was opposed to by the trial magistrate as “it contravened administration of criminal justice law of Kogi state as amended”
He therefore adjournment till 9th August for commencement of trial.
