Masked officers whisk Dino Melaye from hospital bed

Masked security operatives on Friday stormed the hospital where Dino Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West, was receiving treatment, and forcibly removed the lawmaker.

Mr Melaye was taken from his hospital bed into an unmarked vehicle and drove away, witnesses told Premium Times.

The senator was arrested last week after police laid siege on his home in Maitama, Abuja, for eight days.

He turned himself in after hiding in the house for days. Mr Melaye has been in the hospital since then.

Police accuse the senator of being involved in the shooting of an officer in his native Kogi State.

Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, later said that Mr Melaye was moved to a medical facility of the State Services Service (SSS) in Abuja.

Mr Moshood said the lawmaker was taken away from the police clinic to another government-owned medical facility after the senator and the police disagreed about his fitness to face trial.

“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,” Mr. Moshood said.

Mr. Moshood said the police have obtained a warrant of arrest from a Federal Capital Territory High Court to keep the embattled senator for 14 days, starting from January 9.

– Premium Times