- Local vigilantes reportedly prevented the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye by SARS operatives, as the lawmaker attended the 8th fidau prayers for the late Hon Buba Jibril
- The vigilantes allegedly mounted a ring of protection around the senator and prevented the security agencies from penetrating
- The SARS operatives were reportedly disappointed again when they discovered that Melaye had departed for Katsina, after they subsequently besieged the reception venue
Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) failed to arrest Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) on Thursday, April 5, Vanguard reports.
The senator, who was declared wanted by the police over his implication in handing over illegal weapons to some kidnappers who claimed to be his thugs, was attending the 8th fidau prayers for late Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Buba Jubril, in Lokoja, Kogi state, when the security agents reportedly arrived.
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NAIJ.com learnt that the lawmaker was however protected from arrest by local vigilante men who encircled him, making it impossible for the SARS operatives to get close to him.
The senator reportedly stole the show, raising two fingers in the air, to great cheers from the crowd.
After the prayer session, the local vigilantes led Melaye into the waiting vehicle of the Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, who had also attended the event.
The SARS operatives reportedly subsequently besieged the house of Chief Rasaq Kutepa, which was the venue of the reception; but were disappointed as the senator had left for Obajana airstrip for a flight to Kastina, in Saraki’s convoy.
At the fidau prayer session earlier, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, leader of the House of Representatives, had stated that Jubril’s death left him in tears.
He said: “He was a personal friend, a leader and a colleague; we learned a lot from each other, we are going to miss him. I am trying to absorb the shock in my system. You can see the amazing crowd at the prayer; that is a testament to the kind of person he was.
“Politicians should continue to work hard with commitment and just do the best and leave the rest. Live every day as if it’s your last day on earth.”
Idris Wada, the immediate past governor of Kogi, described Jubril’s death as a major loss for politics in the state.
In his words: “Buba is a very nice man, very vibrant politician. He has the interest of the people at heart. We will all miss him greatly. We pray that his soul rests in peace. Death should teach politicians that there is an end to everything in life. That is why we should not push things beyond limit.
“We all miss Buba. He was a great man and he has contributed positively to the upliftment and the politics of Kogi State. His politics and style make him a man of the people, he listens to people and he does something about their complaints.
“He is just a good man. He had network across the country, a detribalised Nigerian with very good qualities and he was not a religious bigot. Politicians should emulate him.”
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the police re-arrested all the six suspects who were declared wanted after allegedly fleeing from police custody in Kogi state on March 28.
In a statement, the police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said that Kabiru Seidu (a.k.a Osama), Nuhu Salisu (a.k.a Small), Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed who were under detention at the ‘A’ division Lokoja allegedly escaped from lawful custody, hours before they were due to be arraigned in court in Lokoja, the state capital.
They were arrested on allegations of working as political thugs and suspected assassins for Senator Dino Melaye.
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Source: Naija.ng