Senator Dino Melaye was today arrested on his way to Morocco for undisclosed reasons at the International wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.
The chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and also a senetor representing APC, Kogi West was arrested by the Nigerian Immigration Service
on his way to Morocco for an official engagement sponsored by the Federal Government after checking in.
Senator Dino on his Twitter handle said that he has just been arrested at the Abuja international airport.
I have just been arrested at the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport on my way to Morocco for an official engagement sponsored by the Federal Govt after checking in.
When his Senior Legislative Aide, Samuel Melaye, was contacted,he said, ” I am on my way to the Airport now, I cannot say anything now, but I will get back to you.”
But the Spokesman of the embattled senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Gideon Ayodele, said that his principal, who was arrested has been released.
Ayodele claimed the senator was left off Immigration operatives’ hook after a stand-off that lasted about two and a half hours.
“Yes, he had been released almost an hour ago,” said Ayodele.
The arrest, which followed weeks of controversies between the senator and the police, has generated widespread reaction While some welcomed it as deserving of a controversial lawmaker, others criticised the arrest as an act of executive recklessness.
His arrest was initially linked to the police, who have been on a manhunt for him for several weeks, and had declared the lawmaker wanted for his alleged links to violence in Kogi state.
The senator had denied wrongdoing, saying his ordeal was politically-motivated.
“He was released after the police couldn’t pin anything on him,” said Mr Ayodele. “The immigration officials who thought they were trying to help the police when they initially detained him were also embarrassed that the police couldn’t take him into custody.”
The development could further surprise Nigerians who have long been shocked at the police’s apparent failure to enforce their own arrest warrant.
Mr Melaye was declared wanted over a month ago, but he still has at least two police officers in his security detail.
The senator also reportedly met with Kogi police commissioner, the same officer that declared him wanted, at a burial event for a later House of Representatives member from Kogi State two weeks ago.
