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Tag: Melaye

  • Taofiq Isah, Ijumu LG chairman masterminded assassination attempt on Melaye – Police

    The Nigeria Police, FCT Command has paraded six persons in connection with the recent assassination attempt on the Senator Representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Melaye was recently attacked at his residence at Iyala, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State.

    Subsequently, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, swiftly deployed Police Special Tactical Squad (STS) team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    Addressing newsmen on Saturday while parading the suspects, the Force PRO, Moshood Jimoh said the suspects were arrested by crack team of the force deployed by the IGP during the week.

    Jimoh said among the suspects were Taofiq Isah, chairman Ijumu LGA Kogi State and his orderly, Sgt Ede James.

    Others he said include, Ade Obage, Abdullahi Isah a.k.a Eko, Ahmed Ajayi and Michael Bamidele

    Items recovered from the suspects include, one Ambulance Hyundai Bus, five AK 47 rifles, one berretta pistol, two locally made single barrel shot gun, 25 expended shells of 7.62 mm ammunition, 13expended shells of 9mm ammunition and twelve (12) expended shells gauge cartridge

    He said, “In compliance with the Inspector General of Police’s directive on the attack and attempted assassination/murder of Senator Dino Melaye carried out on 15/04/2017, at Iyala, Ijumu LGA in Kogi state, the operatives of the IGP Special Tactical Squad swung into action and after ten (10) days of painstaking and sustained surveillance between 16/04/2017 and 25/04/2017, successfully arrested six (6) members of the vicious and notorious Hired Assassins gang responsible for the attack and attempted assassination/murder of Senator Dino Melaye carried out on 15/04/2017, at Iyala, Ijumu LGA in Kogi state namely:

    “Taofiq Isah (Chairman Ijumu LGA Kogi state) according to the investigation so far, is the mastermind of the executed attempted assassination/murder of Senator Dino Melaye. He was alleged to have directed one Abdulmumini a.k.a Iron, now at large (who was said to be his Personal Assistant) and who in turn recruited other members of the vicious and notorious hired assassins mentioned above.

    “Ade Obage, 29 years voluntarily informed the Police that he has the knowledge and information about the attempted assassination/murder attack of Senator Dino Melaye after the attack was carried out. He further informed the investigators that he was contacted to join the gang by Abdullahi Eko a principal suspect now in Police custody.

    “Abdullahi a.k.a Eko, a native of Adavi town in Adavi LGA of Kogi State was arrested and he confessed to the crime and admitted to the criminal roles he played along with the other suspects in carrying out the attempted assassination/murder of Senator Dino Melaye. He also mentioned other members of the gang who are still at large and that they used the Ambulance Hyundai bus and Five (5) AK 47 rifles for the operation. The Ambulance was recovered behind the Ijumu LGA Secretariat in Kogi State.

    “Ex- Sgt Ede James, (Orderly to Chairman of Ijumu LGA Kogi State). He is the Police orderly to the principal suspect Taofiq Isah, the Chairman of Ijumu LGA in Kogi State whose phone was used for communication for the planning of the failed assassination/murder of Senator Dino Melaye. He was arrested with a serious criminal link to another principal suspect Abdullahi a.k.a Eko who is an active member of the gang.”

    He added that the firearms recovered have been sent for Ballistic expert examination, test and analysis at the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in Lagos.

  • Assassination Attempt: Your silence as Governor speaks volumes – Melaye blasts Bello

    Assassination Attempt: Your silence as Governor speaks volumes – Melaye blasts Bello

    …I have nothing to say, Governor Bello fires back

    Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has attacked the Governor of the state over his alleged silence on his assassination attempt which occurred at his (Melaye) country home over the weekend.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that some unknown gunmen had on Saturday night made an attempt on Melaye’s life when they attacked his home at Ayetoro-Gbede, Ijumu local government area of Kogi State.

    Melaye, frowning at the governor’s perceived silence over the issue said his (Bello) acts “speaks volumes”.

    He described the assassination attempt as unfortunate, regrettable, highly disturbing and very strange to the socio-political culture of Kogi West senatorial district.

    The statement reads, “Senator Dino Melaye declared his unrelented resolution to continue to champion democratic courses targeted at good governance, masses empowerment and the Rule of Law. He promised never to relent in his fight against corruption, maladministration, impunity and nepotism.

    “No amount of threat, blackmail, name-calling and harassment will stop him from being the voice of the voiceless and the mouthpiece of the common man.

    “It is outrageous and high sense of disbelief that four days after the attempt on his life, the Kogi State governor, the Chief Security Officer of the State, has neither called nor visited to know the state of affairs with him as a serving Senator from Kogi State. The Governor’s deafening silence speaks volumes.”

    The lawmaker stressed that long in the history of Kogi West, various political gladiators had at various times, had their differences, but said none had ever been escalated to the level of attempt on life.

    “Chief Awoniyi and Chief Daniyan (both of blessed memory) had their strong differences. Senator Dino Melaye and Prince Olusola Akanmode also had their differences. Arc. Stephen Olorunfemi and Prince Olusola Akanmode and Tunde Ogbeha, also had their differences.

    “Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Smart Adeyemi had their serious political differences. None of these differences was ever escalated to the horrendous level of assassination attempt.

    “The recent incident is alien to Okun people and to Kogi West. The advent of Yahaya Bello as Governor and Taofiq Isa as Local Government administrator in the political firmament of Kogi state has brought this unfortunate socio-political paradigm shift,” he added.

    Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, the Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, has said he was not aware of the assassination attempt since Senator Melaye did not brief him (Bello) about it officially.

     

    The governor in a reaction through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo said he won’t join issues with Melaye, whom he claimed was being hunted by his past.

    The statement by Fanwao reads, “We do not want to join issues with Senator Dino Melaye. He is an adult and can explain the path he has chosen to tread. If he accused the Governor of complacency in the so called assassination attempt, those who have been following the trend from the day his group promised to make Kogi ungovernable will not be surprised.

    “The case is under investigation by the Police and making serious statements about it may be seen to be subjudice. We have been witnessing imaginary attacks in the state and when the Governor travelled to Kogi East, his antagonists also alleged he was attacked even when the opposite was the case.

    “As a government, we believe the Nigeria Police is capable of getting to the root of the allegations and do justice to it once and for all. Governor Yahaya Bello is redefining leadership in Kogi State, therefore, the plan of “One Day One Trouble” will not work.

    “We are in the news for the roads we are constructing, the agriculture we are reforming, the healthcare we are making affordable and the walls of insecurity we are pulling down. We have departed from their own ways.

    “The governor also said Dino has not called him in person to report the assassination attempt on his life to him.

    “You people need to ask Senator Dino Melaye if he reported the incident to the Governor who is the Chief Security Officer of the state. If you didn’t tell him anything, he too will have nothing to say. The reports of the security agencies will surely untie the riddles surrounding the allegations.

    “Security should never be politicised in our state. We will not be distracted. We know the plans but if they know Governor Yahaya Bello, they would know he is too focused to be distracted, too courageous to be intimidated. We are waiting for the reports of the investigation after which we shall be properly guided to make informed comments. Nigerians know what is happening.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the police has however arrested seven suspects in connection with the assassination attempt.

     

  • 7 arrested in connection to Melaye’s assassination attempt

    The Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District (APC) in the Senate, Dino Melaye on Sunday said the police have confirmed the arrest of seven suspects having links to an alleged assassination attempt on him.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Melaye on Saturday escaped assassination attempts, as unknown gunmen attacked his home in Ayetoro-Gbede, Ijumu local government area of Kogi State.

    The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically into the building for over an hour, leaving two vehicles parked within the premises damaged.

    However, reacting via his twitter handle on Sunday morning, Melaye wrote, “7 people arrested at the residence of Taofik Isa and a jeep loaded with Ammunitions.

    “Jeep now in the custody of DC Crime and investigation.”

  • JUST IN: Melaye escapes death as gunmen invade house

    The Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District (APC) in the Senate, Dino Melaye on Saturday escaped death by the whiskers as gunmen invaded his house in Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi State.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the gunmen numbering about ten arrived the house at about midnight through the bush and opened fire from different directions on the house.

    The house was riddled with bullets while two of the vehicles parked in the estate were damaged by the hoodlums.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Melaye was in his country home at Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area for the Easter holiday at the time of the attack.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP William Aya told newsmen that the police received a distress call from the senator at about 1 a.m. and immediately responded.

    He said the hoodlums escaped before the police arrived, thereby making arrest impossible.

    Aya said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilson Inalegwu had set up an investigation committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations to unravel those behind the attack.

    On his part, Melaye said the hoodlums arrived at about midnight and started shooting sporadically at the main building in the compound.

    He said the shooting lasted for almost one hour, adding that apart from the building riddled with bullets, two of his vehicles were damaged.

    The senator said he suspected Mr Taufiq Isa, the Administrator of Ijumu Local Government to be behind the attack.

    According to him, the attack is most likely due to his incessant verbal attacks on the State Government.

    “I got a rousing welcome from Kabba to my home town on Friday and I know it angered the power that is in the state which mobilised for this assassination attempt on my life.

    “At about midnight, we started hearing gunshots. They fired more than 200 rounds of bullet into the house. This attempt to kill me will not stop me from speaking the truth.

    “If I speak the truth, I will die, if I lie, I will die. I’ve decided to speak the truth and die. I’m not afraid of death. I only respect men, I don’t fear them.


    “I am championing an administrative course. I will continue to speak and be the voice to the voiceless. I’m not deterred; I remain resolute to make Kogi better. Noting will stop me from coming home.”

    Melaye also chided the police for not responding quickly to his distress call, saying that the house of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the town was a stone thrown from the scene of the attempt on his life.

    “The DPO did not come to my house until three hours later. Even the area Commander in Kabba was not notified until I called the Commissioner of police. I suspect a satanic collaboration between Taufiq Isa and the police in Aiyetoro because the duo held a meeting two days ago.

    “Only God will protect us in this country but definitely not the police”, he said.

    In a swift reaction, Isa denied having a hand in the attempt on the life of the Senator, saying that he had been busy for sometime taking care of his sick wife.

    “I’ve never been a violent man. My running battle with Dino Melaye, if any, is because I have asked him to stop vilifying the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

    “Let him (Dino) prove it. I lost my uncle a week ago; I’m still attending to my sick wife and busy supervising the APC re- registration programmes. I’m a democrat and law abiding. I challenge Dino to prove his case,” he said.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Speed limiting device: Don’t bring further hardships on Nigerians, Melaye warns FRSC

    Speed limiting device: Don’t bring further hardships on Nigerians, Melaye warns FRSC

    The Senate on Thursday, resolved to halt the plan by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to implement the use of speed limiting device by vehicles in the country.

    Consequently, it mandated its Committee on Federal Character to investigate the plan to ensure that it did not add to the hardship currently being experienced by Nigerians.

    This followed a point of order raised by Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) during plenary.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the FRSC had in 2016 advised vehicle owners to install speed limiting device in their vehicles.

    The device is electro-mechanic and restrains a vehicle from moving on more than the stipulated speed limit, and its enforcement is to check speeding believed to be a major cause of vehicles accidents.

    Melaye said, “there is a proposal by the Federal Road Safety Corps to begin implementation of speed limiting device and this device is to be sold to individuals by the commission.

    “This policy will not go down with the masses of this country.

    “This is not the time to bring economic hardship on the already traumatised people in this country.

    “In every civilised part of the world, it is the responsibility of road safety authorities or agencies like her to mark speed limits on the road and when you beat this speed, they charge you.

    “To ask individuals to purchase speed device from Road Safety is unacceptable and this is even not the time to do it,” he said.

    He called on the leadership of the Senate to intervene in the matter and stop the “draconian move”.

    In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, referred the matter to the Federal Character Committee to handle and report back urgently.

     

     

    NAN

  • The story of one Dino of ABU – By Azubuike Ishiekwene

    By Azubuike Ishiekwene

    We’re in trouble, but that’s not the worst part. The real tragedy is that we don’t know that we don’t know.

    It took one week and a Senate summons for the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Ibrahim Garba, to say that Senator Dino Melaye graduated from ABU.

    And even then, his testimony left more questions than answers. In response to repeated press enquiries, ABU had promised to take a public position on Wednesday. But for reasons that can only damage the school’s reputation, it made a U-turn, saying it will not make any comment until the Senate Ethics Committee invites it.

    When Saharareporters sent the same enquiry to Harvard University and the London School of Economics, some clerks at the registry responded without dragging any vice chancellor into the matter.

    But see the mess we have here – a vice chancellor having sleepless nights over the results of a student who claimed to have graduated less than two decades ago. The lack of transparency in ABU’s handling of the matter creates the impression that the school has something to hide.

    The vice chancellor chose the easy way out, as I suspect a number of vice chancellors in the country today would do. The records in ABU and elsewhere are in such an appalling state that even if this certificate saga involved a 2016 graduate, ABU might still not be able to say for sure if the graduate was genuine or fake.

    Until schools and other public institutions begin to take record keeping seriously, this sort of nonsense will continue.

    If Professor Garba chose to err on the side of caution – either to fend off any further scrutiny from the press or to avoid any legal battle with Melaye’s army of lawyers – he can be sure that his nightmare is not over yet. Since the matter is in court, he will, at some stage, mount the witness box to explain exactly which Melaye’s result he testified about in the Senate.

    And he can be sure that on that day, Aje kun iya (Melaye’s latest theme song) will not playing in the background.

    Melaye’s convocation gown is not big enough to conceal the lingering doubts about his certificate. If he lied about Harvard and LSE, it’s difficult to believe him about any of his academic qualifications. I’ve heard people say, ‘Come on, what’s the big deal about a higher degree; he doesn’t need it to be eligible as senator.’

    That is correct. But if he lied about what he didn’t need, why should we trust him on the important matters?

    It’s interesting that while the Senate Ethics Committee decided to summon the ABU vice chancellor to testify on Melaye’s degree, the committee took his word about his O/Level result as holy grail. PUNCH had reported that he had only three credits and was therefore ineligible for a university admission in the first place.

    Melaye denied the PUNCH report and instead, “tendered” a result showing five credit passes and one ‘A’ as his result. It would be interesting to hear what WAEC has to say.

    That’s not all. Questions have also been raised about Melaye’s Master’s degree programme. ABU could be the only university in the world where a candidate can secure admission to a Master’s degree programme with a Third Class, without first obtaining a post-graduate degree. It’s improbable in a number of day schools.

    And to compound Melaye’s complicated certificate story, his name was neither in the ABU Year Book nor on the school’s alumni roll.

    Yet, as Melaye acquires more degrees, which from his performance this week in the Senate must now include a degree in Theatre Arts possibly from the same ABU, we’ll have to take the vice chancellor’s word for it, at least for now.

    We are in trouble and Melaye’s certificate saga is just a symptom. I don’t know of any other place where a lawmaker facing a charge of certificate forgery will celebrate his discharge with a video mocking his “foes” and then stage a dramatic entrance into the lawmaking chamber with an academic gown.

    No one called him to order. Yet, this was the same chamber that threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, for failing to appear in his uniform.

    When Itse Sagay said lawmakers were childish and irresponsible, this was precisely the sort of shenanigans he had in mind. And he certainly won’t be the first to say so, even if saying so drives the lawmakers mad.

    I don’t know of any other place where lawmakers will insist on the execution of Ibrahim Magu who for over one year – and without a letter of appointment – has worked flat out to fight corruption, insisting that they will not do their constitutional duties until they receive his head on a platter.

     

    Sure, the executive has not been sterling, with its own share of Melayes creating the image of a hostage government. But is that what Nigerians deserve – a contest of incompetents who are largely members of the same party?

    We’re in trouble. It’s not a time for celebratory videos. It’s a time to think, to roll up our sleeves and dig ourselves out this hole. Someone from Kogi West should please let the Melaye Band know that there’s nothing funny about our present dilemma. Nothing.

    Ishiekwene is the MD/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine and board member of the Global Editors Network

  • If Ndume apologises, Saraki will reduce his punishment – Melaye

    Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye has said if suspended senator Ali Ndume tenders an apology to Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his punishment will be reduced.

    Melaye said this while speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television on Friday.

    Ndume had been suspended for six months based on the recommendation of the Senate committee on ethics.

    [Read Also: Senate suspends Ali Ndume for six months]

    Ndume had moved a motion for a probe of allegations against Melaye and Saraki which they were later vindicated of.

    Melaye while speaking on the programme said Ndume was not a victim of witch-hunt.

    “Senator Ndume is an experienced legislator, having been in the house of representatives for two terms, and this being his second term in the senate,” he said.

    “I didn’t prophecy that he would be suspended, or did Bukola Saraki, who was wrongly accused. We are not the ones who make up the senate. Ndume should understand the workings of the national assembly. The senate is made up of 109 members.

    “So, the decision to suspend Ndume was not that of Saraki or myself, but the decision of the Nigerian senate after investigation by the relevant committees… We have a very responsible senate president, a very compassionate Nigerian who does not believe in witch-hunting.

    “Already, there is a lot of pressure, and people are appealing to the person of Bukola Saraki, and I can say on good authority that if Saraki had presided over Ndume’s case, he may not have been suspended because the senate president is a compassionate character. So, if Ndume shows remorse, apologise to the senate, the Bukola Saraki that I know will persuade members to either reduce his punishment or forgive him.”

    He also insisted that Ndume was given a fair hearing.

    “The senate has the capacity to suspend any erring senator, but what we are saying here is very clear, due process was followed,” he said.

    “Ali Ndume was given fair hearing. He appeared before the committee, he defended himself before the committee gave that recommendation, which was ratified by the entire senate.”

    On his claim of obtaining a degree from Harvard University, Melaye said “Even a mechanic or a plumber who undergoes apprenticeship is given a certificate… he graduates from his training.

    “Anyone who attends a particular institution and is given a certificate that he attended the programme, whether it is diploma, a degree or PhD, as long as you have been given a certificate, you are a graduate of that institution because you carry a certificate of that institution.

    “I am not going to be distracted.”

  • Construction of Osinbajo’s gatehouse to cost N250m – Melaye

    Construction of Osinbajo’s gatehouse to cost N250m – Melaye

    The Senator representing Kogi West in the senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye has said the construction of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s gate house will cost N250m.

    Melaye revealed this in Abuja at a press conference.

    Melaye however noted that due to the huge cost and considering the fact that the nation is on recession, the lawmakers could call for a review of the contract.

    Melaye also said the cost of the official residence being constructed for the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives was unnecessarily been skyrocketed.

    More details soon…

     

  • Melaye lambasts Gov. Bello, says citizens are suffering

    Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West Senatorial District) has on Friday condemned the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State saying citizens of the are facing serious hardship.

    Melaye said this at a press conference in Abuja held by “stakeholders” of the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

     

    Details shortly…

  • Senate orders probe of Fashola, BPP over alleged inflation of N2.4bn contracts

    THE Senate, yesterday orderd its Committees on Public Procurement and Works to probe alleged irregularities in awards and inflation of two contract sums which show excess of N2.4 billion by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.

    The Senate also directed the committee to forward the report of the probe within one week. Fashola The decision of the Senate was sequel to a motion moved by Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) on alleged irregularities in the award of contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of road and bridge projects in the first and second batch forwarded to it by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing through letters dated November 7 and 15, 2016 as contained in the 2016 budget implementation.

    In the motion, Senator Melaye, who alleged that BPP went beyond its mandate in the approval of contract awards by the ministry by not only inflating some of the contract sums, but also re-awarded them to different companies, stressed, however, that the BPP in contravention of the Public Procurement Act went beyond its mandate to award contracts to companies not recommended by the procuring entity.

    Melaye said: “For instance, the procuring entity recommended Deux Project Ltd for the rehabilitation of Numan-Jalingo road for N11.7 billion; the BPP awarded the contract to Rock Bridge Construction Ltd at N12.8 billion which is N1.1 billion in excess.

    “While the Ministry of Works recommended the rehabilitation of Nenwe-Nomhe-Nburubu Nara road project to Don Machris Global Resources Ltd at N5.1 billion, the BPP awarded it to Arab Contractors Nigeria Ltd at N6.4 billion in excess of N1.3 billion.”

    Melaye informed that the recommended contract sum by the ministry, which is already high, ought to have been ordinarily reviewed downward, but BPP by its action reviewed them upward and subsequently awarded them to companies not recommended by the procuring entity in flagrant violation of Section 19 of the Public Procurement Act.

    He said: “The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing requested via a letter dated November 15, 2016, the Bureau of Public Procurement for due process certified to award contracts for 10 and 13 projects for the construction and rehabilitation under the 2016 budget implementation.”

    Melaye observed that the BPP in the exercise of its mandate informed the ministry that there was no objection to their requests, adding: “But later wrote back to the ministry that due process of ‘no objection’ cannot be granted to the ministry in award of the said contracts.”

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who seconded Melaye’s motion, said any committee assigned to look into the allegation should do a thorough job in finding out details of infractions between the ministry and BPP as far as the contracts were concerned.

    According to him, the country’s procurement process needs to be sensitive to our seasons and cautioned that the investigation should not be allowed to disrupt ongoing contract execution.