The Senator representing Kogi west, Dino Melaye, on Sunday explained how he escaped alleged assassination attempt by gunmen in Gwagwalada area of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
Melaye who claimed that the gunmen were suspected to be agents of Kogi State Government, said that he was on his way to attend a court case in Lokoja, Kogi State capital last Thursday when the incident took place.
He told reporters in Abuja that he was forced to run into the bush to save his life.
While in the bush, he said that climbed a tree, where he spent hours unknown to those after him.
Melaye noted that he left Abuja early in the morning on Thursday to Lokoja when he realised that a Siena car was trailing him.
The occupants of the car, he said, overtook, block and started shooting at his vehicle.
He said that when the suspected assassins realised that his vehicle was a bulletproof one, they halted his movement and attempted to burn his car.
Melaye said, โWhen I realised that they wanted to burn my vehicle, I quickly opened the car and ran into the bush. I had to run for my life. It was the grace of God that made me to escape.
โWhen I got into the bush, I climbed a tree and stayed there. While on the tree, I saw two of the policemen coming to look for me, but they didnโt know I was on the tree. I was in the bush for 11 hours.
โMy brother that was in one of the vehicles didnโt know what happened, so he had to raise an alarm that I was kidnapped. He went to the Gwagwalada police station and reported the matter. At first, they wanted to act, but when one of them made a call, they started turning my brother.
โThey then asked him to go and wait for them at the scene, that they would join him. But he waited for more than 45 minutes, they didnโt come. So, itโs not true for the police to say that none of my family members reported the matter.โ
Melaye noted that the claim that he staged his alleged kidnap to avoid attending the court session in Lokoja was not true.
He said that it should not be forgotten that he had been on bail from the same court and attended its sittings thrice before Thursday incident.
He said, โThe prosecutor wrote my lawyer that he would not be in court that day and that he wanted an adjournment to September 20. There was no need at all for me to say I wouldnโt attend the court session.
โIf anything happens to me, the Nigerian Police and Governor Yahaya Bello should be held responsible.
โI went through four assassination attempts as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but the president remained silent. Definitely Iโm going to call the attention of the international community.
โThey withdrew my security since April 22, and I wrote the police to restore my security, but nothing was done. As a senator, I deserve security personnel around me. In fact, even as an ordinary citizen, I deserve security.โ
Asked if he would go to Kogi State freely to seek reelection, the senator insisted that he would go at any time and that he would re-contest his position.
Melaye who noted that the level of insecurity in the country has gone out of hand, added โthe situation is getting more outrageously calamitous. The primary function of government is the security and welfare of the people, but thereโs no security not to talk of welfare.โ
Speaking on his defection from APC to PDP, Melaye said that he was blind to have stayed in the APC, but that he could now see hence his decision to ditch the ruling party.
He said the PDP under the leadership of Uche Secondus was sincere enough to apologise to Nigerians for its mistakes of the past and that the party is now poised to make Nigeria great.
