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Flamboyant Nigerian senator Dino Melaye is back in police custody after he attempted to escape by jumping out of a police vehicle in the capital, Abuja, while being taken to court in the southern city of Lokoja, the Vanguard news site reports. 

In a dramatic incident on Tuesday, the Vanguard reports that two cars belonging to the senator's accomplices blocked the police vehicle he was travelling in, allowing him to escape.

It says that Mr Melaye jumped through the window and escaped with his accomplices.

He was then taken to a private hospital where doctors declared him unconscious, the newspaper reports.

Police, however, trailed him to the location and moved him to the national hospital in Abuja.

They also arrested two doctors at the Zanklin Hospital who had given the medical assessment of the senator's state, the report says.

It is not clear why police are targeting the senator, but last month police said he was wanted for questioning over allegations that he had given weapons to kidnappers. He denies the allegation.

Mr Melaye is often referred to as the “singing senator” as he likes to take to social media to mock his political opponents in song.