The House of Representatives, yesterday, issued a stern warning to security agencies, particularly the police, about the security of Senator Dino Melaye.
Melaye, who represents Kogi-West Senatorial District at the Senate, was said to have been driven in a police ambulance from Abuja to Lokoja, yesterday.
The embattled senator was stretchered into the Magistrates’ Court in Lokoja, where he was arraigned on gun-running allegations by the Police.
The senator was later remanded in custody till June 11.
But the House said in Abuja that the sight of Melaye on a stretcher was reminiscent of that of a sick man who should have received medical attention before his arraignment.
The House’s reaction came after a member from Kogi State, Mr. Karimi Sunday, raised a point of personal explanation on the floor to bring the “plight” of Melaye to the attention of members.
Sunday had alleged that Melaye was being persecuted by the Kogi State Government because of his strong views on certain issues affecting the state.
He stated: “Melaye is facing persecution from the state government because of his beliefs.
“We must do all that is within our constitutional powers to ensure that the rule of law prevails.
“What is happening to Melaye today can happen to any of us tomorrow, if we keep quiet.”
The Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, while ruling on the matter, said the House was satisfied with the steps taken so far by the Senate and was solidly behind the upper chamber.
“All I can say at this point is that nothing must happen to Senator Melaye.
“If any law has been breached, the police must ensure that his life is secured first.
“If anything happens to him, the security agencies will be held accountable.
“I have not seen in any country where someone is arraigned on a stretcher to take pleas. How do you even take his pleas?
“He must be alive first to answer to your charges because his life comes before the prosecution,” Dogara added.
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Dino Melaye, was yesterday denied bail in the case of an alleged conspiracy and aiding of jailbreak.
The lawmaker was brought to a Lokoja Senior Magistrate Court, Kogi State, in a police ambulance around 9:17 am, yesterday.
However, before his arrival, heavily armed policemen took positions within and outside the court premises.
As the case commenced, the prosecution, Alex Isihon, stated that the court did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
But counsel for Melaye, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, in his submission, argued that the court had the powers by virtue of the Constitution to try the case.
He quoted Section 60 of the Penal Code, which stated that the offence of conspiracy was bailable according to the Kogi State Administration of Criminal Justice.
After a short recess, Chief Magistrate Suleiman Abdulahi denied Melaye bail, and ruled that he should remain in police custody for the next 39 days.
The case was then adjourned until June 11, 2018.
It would be recalled that the arrival of the senator in court had attracted the attention of workers and others who came for transactions.
Other courts within the premises were also not sitting as at the time of this report.
Also, journalists and other person’s that had seated in court for hours were all asked to go out for security checks.
At the end, only few were allowed inside.
The senator had before being brought to court first taken to the SARS headquarters near the NTA office in Lokoja.
Melaye was declared wanted following his refusal to appear before the police to answer to accusations by some arrested suspects, who alleged that the senator supplied them with arms and ammunition.
According to reports, Melaye was conveyed in an ambulance by the police authorities to Lokoja.
Melaye was later brought into the Lokoja Senior Magistrates’ Court, 2, on a stretcher, source said.
He was brought in a Toyota Hiace police ambulance bus with registration number NPF2214D.It was learnt that some journalists who had laid siege to the courtroom were asked to step out for security screening.
In order to face the pending criminal case in Kogi, Dino Melaye was re-arrested, last Wednesday, after his arraignment in court and perfecting his bail conditions.
The lawmaker representing Kogi West was arraigned by the Police on Wednesday at Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse in Abuja.
He was granted bail in the sum of N90million by the court, having met the bail condition but was rearrested by the police shortly after his release.
“The Police investigation team re-arrested Senator Dino Melaye today, 2nd May 2018 after his arraignment at Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse for the pending offences of Criminal Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms already filed in a Court of competent jurisdiction in Lokoja for which he will be arraigned without further delay,” he said.
Moshood said that Melaye was arraigned in Abuja today for criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody.
Melaye’s arraignment in court today according to the police was subsequent to his discharge from the National Hospital after he was confirmed fit for trial.
The Senator landed in the National Hospital after jumping out of a moving police vehicle on Tuesday, April 24.
The police vehicle was conveying him to Lokoja, Kogi State where he is expected to be interrogated by the police in connection with the allegation that he armed some thugs and in relation to other criminal activities.
The police subsequently accused him of making an attempt to commit suicide by jumping out of the vehicle conveying him and falling on the ground, with a threat to implicate the police for his supposed death.
He was also said to have resisted a further attempt by the police to re-arrest him with the help of some persons who allegedly threatened to injure the police officers if they tried to arrest him.