Detained, released, raided: Nigeria's maverick senator decries police harassment

A Nigerian lawmaker Dino Melaye has decried what he calls intimidation from the the police force. He said police had withdrawn his security alleging that there was a plan to set him up.

Monday was a long day for the maverick politician known for his bling bling lifestyle and love of controversy.

First, he was detained by immigration officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in the capital Abuja as he was due to travel on official duty to Morocco.

Incidentally, he announced his detention using his Twitter and Instagram handles. After hours in detention, he was released by the authorities.

After returning to his residence, he again tweeted a police siege with over 30 armed fierce looking mobile police men.

All roads leading to House has been condoned off, as heavy mobile police men blocked entry & exit of the road. They currently laid siege on, in and around the house, his tweet added. According to him, his brother and a friend had been arrested by police.

We are in a civil society. No warrant and case is in court yet this lawlessness. I’m a responsible NIGERIAN and law abiding. There is a plan to kill me and I know about it. We are not in a banana Republic. I can not be silenced. BBCBreaking AFRICA BBCBreaking

— Senator Dino Melaye (@dino_melaye) April 23, 2018

Melaye who represents the Kogi West senatorial district of Kogi State is no stranger to controversy. The Nigerian police declared him wanted over a fake assassination case. He is also embroiled in a case of arming suspected assassins.

He is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a staunch ally of the senate president. He has once threatened to beat a female senator, he has released single tracks, appeared in a music video and is famous for flaunting his lavish lifestyle on his social media pages.