Conflicting details emerge on how Dino escaped from SARS vehicle

Conflicting details has emerged on the escape of Senator Dino Melaye from a Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) vehicle on Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

The Kogi-West senator reportedly jumped off a moving SARS vehicle enroute Logoja, the Kogi state capital.

Melaye allegedly became unconscious minutes after threatening to kill himself if taken to Kogi state by the Police.

But an eyewitness told Vanguard that Melaye did not jump out the SARS vehicle adding that the officers dropped off the lawmaker.

“At the Area One Roundabout, people heard a man in the police vehicle shouting for help. The people were moved at the development and blocked the Police and in the process, forcefully pulled him out of the police vehicle," Peter Babayemi, one of the passers-by had told newsmen who rushed to the scene of the incident.

Babayemi disclosed that their attention was drawn to the lawmaker’s plea for help, and immediately the SARS vehicle was surrounded by a sea of passers-by.

He noted that the SARS operatives were overwhelmed by the number of passers-by and abandoned Melaye and drove off to avoid being lynched.

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“What happened was that we were at the Area One roundabout when we saw the SARS vehicle carrying someone. We saw the person struggling and shouting on top of his voice. So, many people now gathered to see what was happening. When we looked close, we saw it was Dino Melaye.

“Immediately, we started shouting that we know this man. Since some of us had read the news about what was happening to him, we said we won’t allow them take him anywhere. That was how we rescued him from them and they drove away when people became too many,” the eyewitness added.

Melaye was rushed to Zankli Hospital where he was later referred to the National Hospital.

At the Senate, lawmakers condemned the treatment been meted out to their colleague with the resolve to adjourn plenary and visit him at the hospital.

Addressing journalists at the National Hospital, Senate President Bukola Saraki said Melaye was in a stable condition but had not eaten since he was hospitalized.

Saraki added that the lawmaker was not in handcuff as speculated.

But, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun moves to verify signatures for Melaye’s recall despite his unconscious state at the hospital.