Masked police officers force Melaye out of Abuja hospital

Masked police officers have forced Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West - PDP) out of an Abuja hospital, where he was receiving medical treatment, to an undisclosed location.

The lawmaker was forced out of his hospital bed and transported out of the Police Hospital in Garki, Abuja, in an unmarked vehicle.

He's believed to be headed to Lokoja, Kogi State, to answer questions for alleged involvement in the shooting of a police officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, in July 2018, an allegation for which police officers invaded his Abuja home on December 28, 2018 to arrest him.

The lawmaker refused to surrender to the authorities and made several social media posts to taunt and accuse the Police of persecution.

However, he finally left his Maitama home on January 4 to surrender to the authorities shortly before he suffered an asthmatic attack and collapsed.

The lawmaker subsequently refused to leave his hospital bed to face authorities, complaining about several medical problems even though doctors passed him fit.

The latest twist in his clash with the Police is similar to what transpired in 2018 when he was arrested for a different alleged crime and then ended up in the hospital after what the Police described as an escape from custody, another crime he was later charged to court for.

Melaye taken to DSS medical facility - Police

In a statement later released by Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, he disclosed that Melaye was taken the the DSS medical facility in Abuja for further medical attention due to the lawmaker's complaints that he's not well.

He said, "The Police medical team at the Police Hospital, Abuja certified that Senator Dino Melaye is well and healthy to stand trial after treating him.

"However, due to the complaint from Senator Dino Melaye that he is not well, the Police Investigation Team has taken him this afternoon to another government hospital, DSS Medical Facility in Abuja for further medical attention."

He dismissed the report that the lawmaker was moved by masked police officers and revealed that authorities have a 14-day remand warrant from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court to keep him in custody for investigation into the case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide against him till 23rd January, 2019.

Why Melaye is in Police trouble

Senator Dino Melaye has had several run-ins with the authorities over the past one year ece-auto-gen

Melaye took to his Twitter account late on July 19, 2018 to raise alarm over an assassination attempt on his life which he alleged was carried out by the police and military.

He tweeted, "I thank God for spearing (sic) my life once again. Over 20 bullets holes on my jeep. Combination of police,SARS and military. God I thank you."

In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Kogi Command, DSP William Aya, he said the senator deliberately twisted the facts of the matter as it was his security aides who shot and injured a police sergeant first.

He said Melaye's convoy had been flagged down by officers of the Anti-Robbery/Kidnapping Patrol Team on a stop-and-search operation when they were fired upon after some of the vehicles in the convoy refused to stop.

DSP Aya said the officers only fired back in self-defence at the vehicles, which escaped from the scene, before they found out that it was the lawmaker's convoy.

He then called on Melaye to report with the people in his convoy to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Lokoja, to assist in the investigation.

Despite another notification sent to the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the lawmaker to appear for questioning, he failed to honour the invitation.