There was mild drama, yesterday, at 8th fidau prayers for late Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Buba Jubril, in Lokoja, Kogi State, as operatives of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, failed to arrest the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, who was at the event.
The Police had a few days ago, declared the senator wanted over his implication in handing over illegal weapons to some kidnappers who claimed to be his thugs.
The SARS’ operatives had stormed Kabawa Primary School, Lokoja, venue of the fidau prayers, in efforts to arrest Senator Melaye but were awe-struck as local vigilante men encircled him and made it impossible for the SARS operatives to get close to him.
Melaye actually stole the show on the occasion, raising his two fingers to acknowledge cheers from the crowd who greeted him with loud ovation.
Dino, after the prayer session was escorted into the waiting vehicle of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, by the local vigilantes who formed a ring round him.
The SARS’ operatives, who later besieged Chief Rasaq Kutepa’s House at the GRA, where the reception took place, were disappointed to see Melaye in the convoy of the Senate President leave for the late Buba’s House from where they left for Obajana airstrip for a flight to Kastina.
Earlier at the fidau prayer session, Leader of the House of Representative, Femi Gbajabiamila, had said the death of Buba Jubril still left him in tears.
Gbajabiamila said the more he talked about Buba, the more he got sad and was forced to cry.
He said: “He was a personal friend, a leader and a colleague, we learned a lot from each other, we are going to miss him. I am trying to absorb the shock in my system, you can see the amazing crowd at the prayer, that is a testament to the kind of person he was.
“Politicians should continue to work hard with commitment and just do the best and leave the rest. Live every day as if its your last day on earth.”
The immediate past governor of the State, Idris Wada, said Buba’s death was a major loss to Kogi politics.
He said: “Buba is a very nice man, very vibrant politician. He has the interest of the people at heart. We will all miss him greatly. We pray that his soul rests in peace.
“Death should teach politicians that there is an end to everything in life. That is why we should not push things beyond limit.
“We all miss Buba. He was a great man and he has contributed positively to the upliftment and the politics of Kogi State. His politics and style make him a man of the people, he listens to people and he does something about their complaints.
“He is just a good man. He had network across the country, a detribalised Nigerian with very good qualities and he was not a religious bigot, politicians should emulate him.”