Real reason Dino Melaye forced way out of police vehicle — Ben Bruce

Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi West, jumped from a police vehicle last week because he was repeatedly tear-gassed by officers, one of his Senate colleagues, Ben Murray-Bruce, has said.

Mr. Murray-Bruce, representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, said he visited Mr. Melaye at the hospital on Monday and was not happy with the condition he met him.

“Just met with @dino_melaye. Very sad to hear what transpired. Dino is asthmatic, yet while in transit, the police gassed him & he could barely breathe. Second time they gassed him, he had to force his way out of the vehicle. Dino literally escaped death. SAD!” Mr. Murray-Bruce said.

Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES request for comments about Mr Murray-Bruce’s allegation Monday afternoon.

Mr Melaye jumped out of a moving police vehicle last Tuesday in a bid to escape being taken to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, to face trial for a slew of criminal allegations.

The senator was taken to the National Hospital by the police who have continued to monitor him on his sickbed until he would be strong enough to be driven to Lokoja for trial.

Mr Melaye has said he should be tried in Abuja, fearing he could be harmed in Kogi where his political arch rival, Yahaya Bello, is governor.

The police, however, insisted that Mr Melaye’s case would be tried in Lokoja where the offences were allegedly committed.

Although he has been at the hospital since Tuesday, the senator survived an attempt to recall him by his political opponents in Kogi State on Saturday when only five per cent of registered voters turned out for an exercise that required at least 51 per cent of registered voters.