Police must produce suspects - Melaye

At about the same time he was declared wanted, Melaye was in the Senate with his police orderly.

He raised a point of order during the sitting, threatening to sue the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

Melaye told the Senate that, “We were all supposed to appear before the Lokoja high court this morning. My lawyers were in court at 9am and the case was called up and the prosecutor of the Nigerian Police could not produce the two persons.

“Instead of producing the two persons they asked the judge to issue a bench warrant for an arrest but the judge refused to grant their prayers and the judge said despite the fact that I have not been served I sent representation to the court. And the main accused persons are absent in court.

“I want to use the opportunity and on the principle of justice to call on the Inspector-General of Police that within 48 hours he must produce these accused persons because they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. They also have right to life.

“Failure to do so, I will sue the IG for mental assault. Nigeria is not a banana republic,” he said.

Our correspondent reports that Melaye left the chamber at the end of the plenary with his orderly and other aides to his office at the new wing of the Senate.

The dramatic escape of the two principal suspects and four others came barely 24 hours after the Senate mandated its committee on Police and Judiciary to investigate allegations of arms supplies levelled against Melaye visa-vis the alleged role of the Nigeria Police and the Kogi State government.