Sen. Barata denies being detained in S’Arabia

Coming from the cold about two days after he was reportedly arrested in Saudi Arabia over false claims, a former Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Sen. Hassan Barata, yesterday said he was never in Saudi Arabia nor was he arrested as reported.

He said he has not travelled out of the country since he completed his tenure in the 7th Senate in June, and that he left Yola on Friday for Kaduna with the Governor of Adamawa State, Jibrilla Bindow.

He also said he is still a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and does not contemplate any defection.

According to him, “I have been in Nigeria; I don’t know anything about anybody’s arrest in Saudi Arabia. I am not in detention in Saudi Arabia. I am here in the country.

“Since I left office, I have not travelled anywhere; I have not gone to Saudi Arabia and I have not even travelled to Cameroon.

Read also: Senator detained in S’Arabia on impersonation

“I had been receiving calls from many Nigerians but I have told them that if I am in detention in Saudi Arabia, I could not have been talking to them.

Responding to a question, Barata said: “Since 1999, I had been in the National Assembly. I would rather be a Senator than being a staff of an embassy. Which one do you think is more honourable?

“The story is somehow because as I am talking to you, I travelled with the Governor of Adamawa State from Yola to Kaduna for a meeting of some governors.

“If I don’t belong to APC, I won’t be able to travel with him. I have not defected to any party.”

He said he had not been using official or diplomatic passport.

Barata added: “I have never used official or diplomatic passport because I want my passport to be rich. I prefer to be using my green passport.

“It is such a mischief. I have surrendered everything in my possession, he said.”

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