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Tag: Melaye

  • Melaye ‘slumps,’ at SARS headquarters, on admission at undisclosed hospital

    Melaye ‘slumps,’ at SARS headquarters, on admission at undisclosed hospital

    Embattled lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial district Dino Melaye on Friday slumped shortly before interrogation by SARS operatives and was taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.

    Recall that Melaye surrendered himself to the police eight days after holing up in his residence to avoid arrest by policemen for alleged homicide.

    He was taken to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad office, Guzape, Abuja, for interrogation.

    It was gathered that senators who visited the lawmaker at his residence on Friday accompanied Melaye and his lawyer to the SARS office after failing to meet with the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, at the Force headquarters.

    Over 50 policemen had stormed Melaye’s mansion last Friday in an attempt to arrest him for interrogation over the alleged shooting of one Sgt. Danjuma Aliu.

    The policeman, who was said to be lying critically ill at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, was said to have been injured by suspected thugs loyal to the senator in Kogi State last July.

    Confirming the arrest of the lawmaker, the Force spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that Melaye had been taken to Police hospital for medical attention.

    He stated that the police operatives waited for eight days for the senator to obey the law and surrender himself for arrest when his claims that he was not in Abuja was found to be false.

    Moshood explained that the senator would be taken to court after investigation.

  • Siege: Court rejects Melaye’s suit to order police out of residence

    A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday refused Senator Dino Melaye’s request that the Police should vacate his residence.

    Melaye had approached a court to seek for an order for the Police to leave having laid a siege on his residence since December 28th, 2018.

    An ex-parte application could have allowed the judge to grant the order without hearing from the police.

    While ruling on the ex-parte application on Thursday, a High Court Judge, N. E. Maha, failed to grant the application, but ruled that the matter at hand be granted a faster and more definitive hearing.

    The Police had said in its statements that Melaye is wanted for his involvement in a culpable homicide and the arming of thugs.

    The Police have also said they will continue to be at Melaye’s residence till he surrenders himself for arrest.

  • Siege: Police call for reinforcement, vow not to leave till Melaye is arrested

    The Police authorities have vowed not to leave Senator Dino Melaye’s residence until they arrest him.

    The Police have subsequently deployed over 50 additional policemen around Melaye’s residence located on 11, Sangha Street, Off Mississippi, Maitama, FCT.

    Findings indicate that the Police might storm the building and forcefully arrest the lawmaker who had holed up in the house since last Friday.

    The Police said the lawmaker representing Kogi West at the National Assembly was wanted for the alleged shooting of one Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force while on stop-and-search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.

    Recall that the operatives had, last Saturday, cut off power supply to Melaye’s mansion as part of strategies to make him uncomfortable so that he could surrender for arrest, but the senator has so far remained adamant.

    The Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, stated that Melaye had repeatedly spurned several invitations asking him to report for investigation into the case of attempted culpable homicide.

    He noted that the operatives would not leave the lawmaker’s residence without arresting him.

     

  • Police maintain siege on Melaye’s residence, ask him to surrender for investigations

    The Nigeria Police Force has asked the lawmaker representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye, to surrender himself for arrest and investigation for attempted culpable homicide.

    It stated that the police operatives deployed in his house with an arrest warrant will not leave his Abuja residence until they apprehended him.

    The Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement on Monday that Melaye had repeated spurned several invitations asking him to report for an investigation into the alleged shooting of one Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force while on stop-and-search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.

    He explained that Melaye and his armed thugs shot and injured Saliu who is currently on admission at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.

    Police investigators, he said, had invited Melaye through a letter of invitation dated 23rd July, 2018, signed by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, and addressed to the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja.

    Moshood said, “Melaye was asked to report on 26th July, 2018 at the Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja to answer to a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide against him under investigation in the Kogi State Police Command.

    “The claim by the Senate President in the media that the Police did not submit a letter of invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly is therefore incorrect as can be seen on the attached letter with acknowledgment stamp of the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja, dated 24 July, 2018.”

    The Police also tendered copies of pictures of the injured officer, the invitation letter to Melaye addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly and the medical report from the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, confirming the admission of Sgt. Saliu to the hospital for gunshot injury.

    Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, Advocate for Peoples’ Rights and Justice, Victor Giwa, has condemned the police siege and move to arrest Melaye, describing it as an abuse of his rights.

    The activist in a statement asked the police to follow the proper procedure laid down by the law if the lawmaker was needed to answer to any charges.

    He added, “As an organisation, we see the continuous occupation of the residence of Senator Melaye as a gross violation of his right to freedom of movement and personal liberty, as provided in the constitution.

    “If the Police need the Senator for any offence or for trial in court, there are proper procedures laid down by the law to follow, anything outside that is persecution. We, therefore, insist that we shall mobilize our allies as civil society to resist any form of intimidation or harassment by the police. An injustice to one is an injustice to all.”

  • Day four: Police continue siege on Melaye’s house

    Day four: Police continue siege on Melaye’s house

    The siege on the home of the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial district, Dino Melaye, by the police, has entered its fourth day.

    It was gathered that contrary to the senator’s earlier claim that he was in Lagos, the Police believe he is within the building.

    They also believe the senator is barricaded in the upper flat of the house and they say they would not leave until he surrenders.

    In a statement issued earlier, the police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, explained that Melaye is wanted to answer to the case of attempted culpable homicide in the shooting of a police officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, while on duty allegedly by Senator Melaye and armed thugs in Kogi State on July 19, 2018.

    According to the police, the offence for which the senator is being investigated is capital in nature.

    Melaye, on the other hand, had promised to make himself available by Monday, saying he had no reason to run from the police.

    He explained that the invasion of his residence was unnecessary and that he will report himself to the police as soon as he returns to Abuja.

    There were also reports that the police had cut off water and electricity supply to the building in an attempt to force the lawmaker out.

  • Siege on Melaye’s residence: Ibrahim Idris is Nigeria’s most partisan Police IG – Saraki

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has lashed out at the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over the latest attempt to arrest a senator, Dino Melaye.

    Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, described the invasion of the Abuja home of the senator as another instance of police being used to suppress the rights of the citizenry and silencing people with opposing views to the current administration.

    Recall that the Police on Friday laid siege to the house of the lawmaker in a bid to arrest him saying the senator was wanted for his alleged involvement in an attack on a police officer in June.

    While the siege was on, Melaye told reporters he was out of the city but was monitoring the situation. But the police believed that he was hiding somewhere in the building.

    Saraki in a statement on Saturday said the timing of the invasion and the desperate attempt to arrest the senator was suspicious as the lawmaker had raised an alarm a few days earlier that there was a plan by the police to get hold of him and harm him, an allegation that was denied by the police.

    He noted that the conduct of the police at the property, in interfering with power and water supply, manhandling domestic staff and disturbing peace in the neighborhood was unacceptable.

    The Senate President said he believed the police were resolute in keeping the senator out of public ahead of 2019 elections.

    He added that there was no formal request to the Clerk to the National Assembly for the arrest of Mr Melaye as claimed by the police.

    “The general belief now is that the Police action against Senator Melaye was aimed at keeping him out of circulation so that he would not participate in the general elections coming in February. The manner of invasion on his house is highly suspicious. This same man has been charged with sundry and needless allegations and he has attended the various court sessions. He is also a candidate in the coming elections and therefore has no reason to run away from the country.

    “He was also present in the Senate for plenary, committee meetings and oversight functions till the Senate went on recess on December 20, 2018. Though the police in their statement claim that there was a request to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) inviting Senator Melaye to report to the police, my enquiry from the CNA showed that he had no such letter.

    “If there was an offence allegedly committed in July and the police waited till now, we do not see the urgency in the need to arrest him about six weeks to the election in which he is a candidate. He could have been invited to report to the police on Monday. This desperation to haul him in is beyond normal. This same IGP who refused to honour the invitation of the Senate for him to give information on the security situation in the country and rushed to the court to seek protection of his rights is now violating the rights of other people. In the same manner, a Senate resolution to the effect that his security personnel that were withdrawn should be reinstated has not been obeyed.”

    Saraki accused the police of partisanship as no member of opposition is experiencing such treatment.

    He also described the police boss as the most partisan individual to have headed the force.

    “It has not gone without notice that Senator Melaye is a member of the opposition. We cannot remember any member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) being treated in this manner. Even the one who allegedly led thugs to forcefully seize the mace while Senate was in session, in the full glare of television camera, is still roaming the streets free without prosecution.

    “This method of digging out some old charges and allegations to arrest and incarcerate political opponents has presented this current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, as the most partisan head of the Nigerian Police ever in the history of this country. We have continued to call on the security agencies to steer clear of partisanship and be professional in their activities.

    “This country is not a banana country. Nobody is saying the police should not do their work in the prevention of crime and enforcement of laws. However, a pattern of creating trumped up charges, implicating those who have contrary views to the administration and employing crude tactics under the pretext of enforcing laws is unacceptable to us. It is not because Senator Melaye is the victim this time around. This should not happen to any Nigerian.

    “We are disturbed that the administration remains nonchalant about this negative development by claiming that these excesses and anti-democratic activities of the police are proper and normal and that they do not want to interfere with the work of the law enforcement agents, but we all know these oppressive tactics of the police have something to do with the coming Polls.

    “The Police cannot act outside the law of the land. They should not be infringing on the rights of people. They should not be oppressing the people and they should not be adopting extra-legal measures under the guise of enforcing law. They should vacate Senator Melaye’s house immediately, release the innocent domestic staff in his house who cannot be said to have committed any offence, stop the interference with utility services in his house and ensure that all their actions are within the ambit of the law,” Mr Saraki was quoted by the statement as saying.

  • Why we invaded Melaye’s Abuja residence – Police

    Police officers laying siege on the residence of Dino Melaye are on a order to arrest him for his alleged involvement in an attack on their colleague, Nigeria Police has stated.

    In a statement by the force’ Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, on Friday, the police said the senator alongside his ‘armed thugs’ shot one Sergeant Danjuma Saliu in July.

    Recall that the Abuja residence of the lawmaker was occupied by police officers who are resolute in arresting him on sight.

    “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 19th 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 statement reads.

    It further noted that the force had made efforts to effect the arrest through the National Assembly clerk as is usually the custom.

    The police will continue with the siege until the lawmaker is arrested, the statement added.

    “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 its personnel by any individual no matter how highly placed. The law must take its course.”

  • JUST IN: Police invade Melaye’s residence in Abuja

    JUST IN: Police invade Melaye’s residence in Abuja

    Information reaching TNG now has it that some police operatives in their numbers have invaded the residence of the lawmaker representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye

    The invasion of the lawmaker’s Abuja residence located at 11 Sangha street, off Mississippi, Maitama, took place some minutes after Midday today.

    Presently, the street where his house is located has been cordoned off by security operatives with Toyota Hilux operational vehicles.

    Recall that Melaye had earlier raised the alarm a few days ago over an attempt by the Federal Government to assassinate him.

    Attempts to reach the embattled senator for comments as at the time of filing this was not successful

    Details later…

     

  • IGP planning to arrest, inject me to death – Melaye

    Senator Representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye has alleged that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris is planning to arrest and inject him to death with a deadly substance.

    Melaye made the claim in a tweet posted on his official twitter handling alleging that those to carry out the plan had already been deployed to the State.

    According to the Senator, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police and personnel had been redeployed from the State.

    “There is a plan by the IG to arrest me today and inject me to death. Men deployed already. CP kogi and others removed. Nigerians watch out” the Senator tweeted.

    Details later…

     

  • Alleged false information: FG opens case against Melaye

    The Federal Government on Wednesday opened its case against Senator Dino Melaye before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, where he is being prosecuted for charges of giving false information against the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Mr. Edward Onoja.

    The prosecution led by Mr. Magaji Labaran called Onoja, who was allegedly framed as its first witness.

    The case involves two counts in which Melaye was accused of deliberately giving false information to the police to frame Onoja in an alleged assassination attempt on his (Melaye’s) life.

    The police said they discovered the alleged falsehood in Melaye’s claim while investigating the alleged attempt on his life at his hometown in Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi State.

    The senator on March 1, 2018 pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation in January 31, 2018.

    Melaye was in court on Wednesday when Onoja took the stand in the witness box.

    The defendant was alleged to have in April 2017 given a false statement of facts in a phone conversation with Mr Mohammed Abubakar, a son of the late former governor of Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, with the intention of harming the reputation of Onoja

    Onoja said he listened to the conversation himself on Saharareporters online.

    He said, “Sometime in 2017, my personal assistant brought to my notice of an online reportage by Sahara Reporters of an audio recording between one Mohammed Audu and the defendant (Melaye) where my name was severally mentioned in relation to the aim of implicating my person in criminal activities, including arms running, alleged assassination attempt and threat to my and grand plan to bring the government I serve to its knees.”

    He said he reported to the police after consulting with his family, friends and lawyers and was told to report to the police.

    Onoja said he reported the case through a petition he wrote to the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State.

    Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Mr. Olusegun Jolaawo, the witness said there were no issues between him and the defendant at that time, both of them were in two different factions within the same party.

    He said he heard an allegation of an attempt on Melaye at his village in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    Asked, he said he did not know if the audio file that appeared on Saharareporters had been tampered with.

    Justice Olasunbo Goodluck on Wednesday adjourned the case till January 14 and 28, 2019 for continuation of hearing.