Police Arrest 30 Reps Over Auto Accident

Bola Badmus, Abuja - 08.03.2008

THIRTY House of Representatives members were on Thursday night arrested and detained at the Maitama Police Station in Abuja in connection with an auto accident involving one of their them and a police officer who later died due to injuries sustained in the accident.

Chairman, House Committee on Information and National Orientation, Hon. Dino Melaye, was among those that were arrested and detained by the police.

The incident followed the accident in which Hon Suleman Kokori Abdul was involved on Sunday along side yet to be identified police officer along Wuse area of the Federal Capital Territory.

Following injuries sustained in the accident, Hon. Kokorii was first admitted at the Maitma General Hospital where he was treated.

However, the arrest of Hon. Kokori was effected when he had course to go for further treatment at the National Hospital.

It was at the hospital that some policemen from the Maitma Police Station came to arrest him under the guise that they were protecting him.

His colleagues who got wind of his arrest stormed the Maitma Police Station, apparently to effect his release but were immediately arrested and detained.

But following the intervention of Inspector General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, the federal lawmakers were released in the wee hours of Friday.

Okiro, who came to apologise to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Oladimeji Bankole, however, denied arresting the lawmakers when he was cornered by newsmen.

According to the IGP, the lawmaker, representing Kogi State in the House of Representatives, was invited for questioning, adding he had since been released together with his colleagues.