Armed policemen invade senator dino Melaye’s Abuja residence

A team of armed policemen yesterday stormed the Abuja residence of controversial Senator Dino Melaye to arrest him for what the Police chief spokesman, Jimoh Ibrahim, called attempted murder.

Melaye, according to Jimoh, “is wanted by the police for attempted culpable homicide, the shooting and wounding of a policeman on duty.”

He said the offence was committed by Melaye and his thugs in Kogi state.

He added: “Senator Dino is a wanted man and the police are only in the process of arresting him.

“Three months ago, a letter had been written to the Clerk of the National Assembly to inform Senator Dino Melaye of the need to report to the police in Kogi State and he (Senator Melaye) has refused to do so.”

Moshood spoke in an interview with The Nation.

But the police could not lay their hands on their target yesterday.

They vowed to remain in the compound until Melaye surrenders.

The Kogi West Senator claimed he was not in Abuja when the police came calling.

The Cable last night quoted him as saying: “I am outside Abuja right now, I was told that they laid siege to my house. My staff domestic staff have been beaten up and arrested. This is what I have been crying out about.”

He accused the Kogi State (his home state) government of instigating the police against him.

His words: “There is a deliberate attempt by the Kogi state government to kill me, to destroy me. I have written the Inspector-General of police (IGP). My international passport is with the Nigerian police, I have a court order that it should be

released to me but the IG has refused to honour the court order. “If the police that is supposed to maintain law and order cannot obey court order, how do they expect citizens to obey court orders? As I speak to you, my security detail has been withdrawn since April and it is all in a deliberate attempt to expose me, so that I will be killed and destroyed.”

He had earlier yesterday taken to the social media to raise the alarm about the police ‘invasion’ In a series of tweets, Melaye said: “All entrances to my residence in Mississippi have been secured by the police that claims there is no order to arrest me. “One truck by centagon school too. Media and Nigerians take note. We have pictures of those involved. “They have just zoomed off the trucks leaving three men at the different end of my street wearing black. “Two trucks with people wearing black in front on centagon school on Mississippi maitama. Toyota Siena at the entrance of Sangha street, gold colour Honda accord roaming the street.

“A man in jallabia have gone forth and back my street more than 10 times. “Two hilux truck have now blocked my gate with men in mufti numbering 20. “Cameras recording. They are trying to plant guns in the cars outside. We are watching.” Police to remain in his house until he surrenders Jimoh Moshood in a statement last night said the police would remain in Melayes’s residence until he surrenders.

“The Police operatives currently in the residence of Senator Dino Melaye are to effect his arrest to answer to the case of attempted culpable homicide on the shooting of a Police Officer,  Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State. “The above offence was committed by Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs in Kogi State on the 19 th  July, 2018 when they shot and wounded a police officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.

“The Police Officer is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care. “The Police investigators have written the Clerk of the National Assembly for Senator Dino Melaye to report at Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja for him to answer to these offences against him under investigation in Kogi State Police Command but he has bluntly refused to report himself to the Police. “The Police operatives will continue to be in wait at the residence of Senator Dino Melaye until he surrenders himself for arrest. The offence for which Senator Dino Melaye is being investigated is capital in nature and not compoundable.

“The Force will not tolerate attack on his personnel by any individual no matter how highly placed. The law must take its course. “Members of the public will be kept informed on further development in the investigation of the matter.” PDP berates police over action Melayes’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the police invasion of the residence of Melaye who is the Director of Civil Societies of the party’s Presidential Campaign.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the police invasion came only a few days after Melaye had alerted of a plot by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to forcefully arrest him and inject him with poisonous substances due to his outspokenness against the misrule, corruption and infractions of the Buhari administration He said: “It is therefore devious of the Nigeria Police, which had distanced itself from the plot, to turn round to invade Senator Melaye’s residence held hostage and beat up his domestic aides.

“This invasion is part of the larger machination by the Buhari Presidency to use state apparatus of power, particularly the police under IGP Idris to harass, intimidate and clamp down on opposition members in a bid to create fear and subjugate the opposition ahead of the 2019 general elections. “The party recalls the series of attacks and harassment on PDP leaders, including the airport attack on its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by security officials and notes that such is a clear recipe for anarchy and a political crisis that is capable of destabilising our nation. “The PDP therefore cautions the Buhari Presidency to desist from such provocative acts as such cannot bend the resolve by Nigerians to replace him with the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as their next President, come February 16, 2018.”