The lawmaker said his attackers wanted to burn him inside his bullet-proof vehicle before he escaped.
Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West - PDP) has narrated the story of how he escaped murderous attackers who wanted to kill him by climbing a tree and staying "in the wilderness" for hours to ensure his safety.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East - PDP) had raised an alarm on Thursday, July 26, 2018, that Melaye had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.
However, on Friday, July 27, Melaye announced on his Twitter account (@dino_melaye) that he escaped an assassination attack and was "in the wilderness" for 11 hours.
He tweeted, "I thank God once again for escaping another dangerous attack. I also thank Nigerians for their prayers and show of Love. Spent 11 hours in the wilderness traumatized but God preserved me. God is the best and in whom ONLY I trust. They will continue to try. WE SHALL OVERCOME!!!"
A lot of reactions has trailed the lawmaker's recent episode as many have alleged that he staged the attack or fabricated the story in an attempt to avoid his criminal trial in his native Kogi State on Thursday.
The lawmaker has dismissed those allegations and narrated the story of how he was attacked and escaped from his attackers.
In an interview with Premium Times, Melaye said he was travelling to Lokoja for his court appearance when a convoy of three vehicles drove recklessly by his vehicle, intercepted him along the Abuja-Lokoja highway and forced him to stop.
He said after the attackers opened fire on his bullef-proof vehicle without success, they attempted to burn him and searched for tyres to set his vehicle ablaze, giving him enough time to flee into the bush.
He said, "They started shouting that they wanted to burn me, they said, 'Burn him, burn him down,' and crossed the road to look for tyres to set the vehicle on fire. I jumped into the bush, and I started running."
Melaye said even though the attackers pursued him into the bush, he was able to outsmart them by climbing a tree, out of sight of his attackers. He said he waited on the tree until his attackers left and waited for hours to ensure his safety.
"They pursued me and I was able to outmanoeuvre them and climb a tree. I was on top of the tree when I saw them run past looking frantically for me. When they didn't find me, they also ran back."
The lawmaker further told Premium Times that his attack was sponsored by police elements as he had noticed that the three cars that attacked him had been trailing him since his separate trial in an Abuja court on Wednesday, July 25.
"They were exactly the same vehicle that were used to attack me on Thursday morning," he said.
He also said he could not identify his attackers because the incident was so traumatic for him that he was only concerned about survival.
Melaye also dismissed allegations that he staged the attack to avoid his court appearance, especially since he already knew the trial would not take place on Thursday.
He said, "Alex Izinyon is the prosecutor and he had written to my lawyer to inform him that he would not be in court on Thursday and that the judge should adjourn the matter. So why would I not want to be in court when I know that nothing would happen to me?"
"I have been attending all previous court hearings. I have been told that the prosecutor wanted an adjournment. I have been granted bail long ago which I continue to enjoy. So why would I not want to go to court that day? There is no sense in that claim. It is completely against logic."
Melaye missed court trial due to 'attack'
Senator Melaye failed to appear for the commencement of his criminal trial at the Senior Magistrate's Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Thursday, July 26.
The lawmaker faces charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, political thuggery and other violent crimes in Kogi state.
During Thursday's hearing, his legal representative, Yemi Mohammed, told the court that the whereabouts of the lawmaker was unknown after he was attacked on his way to Lokoja.
He said, "I learnt that he was attacked yesterday (Wednesday) in Gwagwalada on his way to Lokoja to attend his trial and up till now, I have not been able to reach him, I don't know where he is at the moment."
Senior Magistrate, Sulyman Abdullah, was compelled to adjourn the case till August 9, 2018.
After Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama, and Nuhu Salisu, aka Small, were arrested at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi on January 19, 2018, they confessed to the police that Senator Melaye hired them to cause unrest in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The criminal suspects disclosed that the lawmaker handed them a bag containing one AK-47 rifle, two pump action guns and the sum of N430,000 to unleash mayhem in Kogi.
The Senator has always maintained that he's being politically persecuted by state governor, Yahaya Bello, as he faces two other criminal cases.
On Tuesday, July 24, he defected from the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC) to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) after months of public animousity with the party and President Muhammadu Buhari.