By Rafiu Ajakaye
LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – A Nigerian senator has been charged with criminal conspiracy and ordered to be in police custody until June 11, ostensibly ending weeks of drama between the controversial politician and police authorities.
Dino Melaye, long declared wanted in connection with allegations of arms trafficking and murder, was again arrested on Wednesday after a court granted him bail in a separate case of alleged destruction of government property and escape from lawful custody.
Police dragged the senator before a chief magistrate in the central Nigeria Kogi state on Thursday for conspiracy and alleged aiding of a jailbreak, but government’s lawyer Alex Isiyon said the magistrate lacked the powers to try the charges.
Chief Magistrate Suleiman Abdulahi adjourned the case to June 11 and ordered Melaye detained until then.
Melaye had been arrested last week in the capital city Abuja after he repeatedly turned down a police invitation. He purportedly escaped from a police van and was taken away by hoodlums who took him to a private hospital.
Police apparently later took him to a government hospital to treat him for injuries sustained during the escape.
He was taken to court in a wheelchair on Thursday.
Two suspects tried for arms trafficking and other criminal activities had claimed that Melaye was their financier — an allegation he has denied.
