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Tag: Melaye

  • Police charge Melaye with attempted suicide

    Police charge Melaye with attempted suicide

    The police have confirmed the re-arrest of a senator, Dino Melaye, after his arraignment and subsequent bail at a Wuse Zone 2 Chief Magistrate’s Court in Abuja, on Wednesday.

    In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations officer, Jimoh Moshood, the police said Mr Melaye was arraigned at the Magistrate Court for alleged criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody.

    His arraignment in court today was subsequent to his discharge from the National Hospital after he was confirmed fit for trial, the police said.

    He was granted bail for N90 million by the court.

    But the senator was immediately rearrested by the police and taken to Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    Mr Melaye was at the hospital from last week Tuesday, when he reportedly jumped out of a moving police vehicle, until Wednesday afternoon when he was arraigned by the police.

    Mr Moshood in his statement confirmed the senator would still be taken to Kogi for trial

    “It will be recalled that, on the 24th April, 2018, at about 1200Hrs, Senator Dino Melaye while in lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force and being taken for arraignment for Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms in Court in Lokoja, from Abuja, escaped from lawful custody when hoodlums and miscreants in Two (2) Toyota Hilux Vehicles blocked the Police vehicle conveying Senator Dino Melaye around Area 1 Round About, Abuja and in the process the Senator broke the side glass of the vehicle and jumped out of the Police bus through the window and was rescued from the Police men by hoodlums and miscreants to an unknown destination before he was rearrested at Zankli Hospital in Abuja later in the day on same date. This case was investigated and that is why the senator was arraigned in court today,” the police spokesperson said.

  • Melaye re-arrested after perfecting bail conditions [Photos]

    Melaye re-arrested after perfecting bail conditions [Photos]

    The police have rearrested embattled Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye despite he [Melaye] has perfected his bail conditions.

    Lamenting on the Melaye’s re-arrest, Senator Ben Bruce who was in court during Dino’s arraignment at the Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2 Abuja, said that the police picked up Dino at the court premises with a promise to take him to the hospital but took him to the Force Headquarters.

    “So @dino_melaye was granted bail. However, while leaving the court, he was picked up again by police. They claimed they were taking him to hospital, rather, they took him to Force Headquarters. Their intention is to move him to Kogi State anytime from now. Is this a democracy?” Ben Bruce queried in a post on micro-blogging site, Twitter.

    The spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jimoh Moshood however, told newsmen that Melaye is safe in police custody.

    He explained that Melaye was arraigned on charges that bordered on escaping lawful custody and attempted suicide for which he was bailed.

    However, Moshood said the Senator is still in police custody over allegations of conspiracy, gun-running, armed robbery and kidnapping which is before a High Court in Lokoja, Kogi state.

    He also said suggestions that the Senator’s life is in danger does not hold water because he is in lawful custody of the Police.

    Moshood said this is known to the public and all lawful procedures would be adhered to whilst he remained in custody.

  • BREAKING: Senate quizzes IGP behind closed doors over Melaye

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, is now in the Senate’s chamber being grilled by the lawmakers over the alleged maltreatment of Senator Dino Melaye during his arrest and detention by the police.

    Although the Senate’s plenary was closed at 11:07 am, the police boss was later led into the chamber.

    Recall that IGP, who failed to appear during the last invitation, was said to have travelled with President Muhammadu Buhari on a visit to Bauchi State.

    He was, however, re-summoned to appear today at 11am.

    Saraki during the reinvitation of the IGP said that the dignity and Integrity of the Senate must be protected, and that the IGP must appear .

    The obviously angry Saraki said at the time: “Distinguished colleagues, we have taken the contributions and the general consensus is that we give a specific date, Wednesday, May 2, 2018, for the IG of Police to appear.

    ‘’But as we do that, I take a cue from the comments of the leader which I have strong views on. The dignity and integrity of our democratic authority, we must protect it and we must not allow anybody to show any disrespect or desecrate that authority.

    “As I said to you the other day, and I’m sure Senator Abu Ibrahim will confirm, neither Senator Abu Ibrahim nor myself has received any response from the IG of Police in the last 48 hours. “Sending his DIG here today is not respectful enough.

    He should have had the respect of this institution to reach the chairman or myself to explain. “We have all been chief executives. If Mr President is going to Bauchi to commission a project, he is only accompanying the President. If he had said to Mr President, with the killings that are going on it is important that I go to parliament, I am very sure that Mr. President will say, IG that is more important, go to the parliament.

    “This is the point we are making about those who are appointed, who are creating more problems. “Someone said to me, if a former Minster suspended by the President breaks into the council chambers at the Villa and does some kind of mischief, will the IG of Police not feel he need to report to the President on what actions had been taken?” “This cannot be the kind of democratic setting we expect. As you have rightly said, we must ensure that things are done properly.

    We give him until Wednesday, 11am to come here to explain to us what is happening in this country regarding these killings, what do we need to do collectively to bring an end to this killings; what challenges are there; and why are we having these issues? “I don’t think there is anything more important today than these issues. So let us wait till when he comes on Wednesday to address that so that we can find a way forward on this matter.”

  • Dino Melaye: Lawyers, police clash in Abuja court [VIDEO]

    Dino Melaye: Lawyers, police clash in Abuja court [VIDEO]

    There was pandemonium at the Chief Magistrate court, Mpape, Abuja yesterday between some lawyers and police officers.

    The lawyers clashed with the police over the detention of two of their colleagues and relatives of Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye.

    One barrister David Amaefula and Pius Udo-Inyang, who are of the law firm of Messrs Rickey Tarfa & Co. Abuja Office, were on Tuesday, April 24 and 25 arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, office Guzape after they were dispatched to the Zankli Medical Centre, Mabushi, Abuja to secure justice for Senator Melaye, who was being admitted there.

    Also two other persons, including a cousin to Melaye and his friend were also arrested during the raid.

    Magistrate Zubairu on Monday granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000.

    The judge also demanded one surety each in like sum, adding that the sureties must be resident in the FCT.

    All hell broke loose when over 50 armed policemen deployed in the court attempted to seize placards from protesting lawyers.

    The over 100 lawyers in the court premises resisted the move.

    The police officers then encircled the lawyers and demanded that they leave the court premises.

    This attracted stiff opposition from the lawyers.

  • MELAYE: Triumphal but not yet Uhuru – Umegboro

    By Carl Umegboro

    Embattled senator representing Kogi West senatorial district in the upper legislative chamber, Dino Melaye elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is indeed between a rock and a hard place.

    Despite the initial criminal allegations leveled against him by the Nigerian Police Force, the controversial lawmaker recklessly complicated his predicaments that the end may never come soon. Prior to the criminal allegations against the lawmaker, Melaye was facing a recall action from his constituencies since last year but by legal actions, delayed the recall action especially the judges’ annual vacation which worked to his advantage.

    Finally, the people have spoken by not endorsing the recall. It is indeed a victory for democracy. The electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is commended for ensuring that it carried its statutory duties accordingly without intimidations, fear or favour to the parties. The judiciary too is extolled for enabling the umpire proceed with its duties as assigned without hitches.

    Election and recall are emphatically exclusive rights of the people. It is immaterial if recall is orchestrated by propaganda, vendetta or political motives as Melaye contended before the court. What is paramount is that the people must evidently always give the final shot and not injunctions. As they have spoken by distancing themselves from the action, that’s final. Thus, kudos to the court, electoral umpire and the people.

    Incidentally, whilst the recall attempt was in murky waters due to rigorous processes, the embattled lawmaker yet again was implicated in some unhallowed and criminal acts with inmates; alleged to be his gang with guns and funded with huge sums of money for yet to be disclosed assignments for the senator. The Police accordingly, severally invited Melaye for interrogations alongside his arraignment in Kogi State to no avail until his recent arrest. But abysmally, on the way, his cronies ambushed the Police leading to his attempted escape by jumping away from a moving vehicle. In the process, Melaye sustained injuries and undergoing treatment presently at the National Hospital after evacuation from a private clinic by the police.

    By and large, apart from the recall action which finally hit the brick wall, Melaye is simultaneously battling with two more serious issues; criminal charges of unlawful possession of arms alongside two others and escape from lawful custody of the Police. The recall action which will at most sack him from the Senate failed as the electoral umpire failed to meet the prerequisite in the verification exercise which implied that the people didn’t endorse the action or probably changed their mind.

    Whatever be the case, the people decided. Had all the recall processes succeeded against him, Melaye would still walk home a free man except to lose all entitlements and benefits as a serving senator, thereby only deprive him of the jumbo allowances including the outrageous running costs prevalent in the legislative arm.

    Unfortunately, the other two are crimes punishable with terms of imprisonment under the Criminal Code (Laws of the Federation) which would automatically remove any public officeholder from office including a senator if convicted. If found guilty, he will literally be reduced to a convict even if he pays fines, and consequently ruin his political career for a period of ten years. This is on account that fine on conviction and jail terms are equivalent in law.

    Statutorily, a convict is ineligible for election to the Senate pursuant to Section 66(1)(c) and (d) of the 1999 Constitution, Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. In other words, if convicted and sentenced, the Attorney General of the Federation will expressly approach the court ex parte to delist his name as a senator of the 8th Senate.

    By implications, the senator is in a pinch; still standing between the devil and the deep blue sea, as the catastrophes distinctly, ultimately may lead to losing the seat in the Senate. Obviously, Melaye was ill-advised to undertake the disgraceful misadventure which worsened his crisis, and bolstered the Police to handcuff a serving senator even on the sick bed as a common criminal which he overtly acted out by the attempted escape from lawful custody.

    The reasons is that as a serving senator, encircled by well-to-do political associates and friends, Melaye, irrefutably could without any stress prearrange all the likely bail conditions and confidently submit himself for arraignment in the court and secure his bail immediately since the charges are all bailable offences.

    To conclude, Melaye’s dramatic jumping from a moving vehicle to escape from lawful custody irrespective of the motives is grotesque and ignominious, and leaves much to be desired of a “distinguished senator”.

    Above all, if the grievous allegations of involvement, funding and supply of guns to criminals are substantiated, it boils down that politicians are truly responsible for the gruesome and endless killings that have sent countless innocent lives to early graves merely for selfish reasons. Thus, whether allegiance in APC or oppositions, criminalities shouldn’t be trivialized; let the law take its course. Nevertheless, congratulations to Melaye for emerging triumphant in the first hurdle.

    Umegboro, public affairs analyst writes from Abuja via umegborocarl@gmail.com (07057101974 SMS-only)

     

  • Bedridden Dino Melaye speaks on failed attempt to recall him

    The Senator Representing Kogi West at the National Assembly, Dino Melaye, has reacted to the failed attempt to recall him from the Nigerian Senate.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the process failed after the verified signatories to the petition for Melaye’s recall fell short of requirements.

    Melaye, who is currently in the Intensive Care Unit after a face-off with security agencies last week, thanked Nigerians, especially his constituents for standing by him.

    Gideon Ayodele, Media Aide to the embattled senator in a statement on Sunday, called on Nigerians to continue to pray for the lawmaker, who is currently bedridden.

    His statement reads below…

    “The chain of events from last Monday to this day are enough for one to be grateful to God Almighty and all Kogi people both at home and in the Diaspora, including friends of Senator Dino Melaye outside the Confluence State and all over the world, for standing behind the Senator in this trying times.

    “Needless to say that all allegations against him by the Police are politically-motivated and the timing of his maltreatment and harassment was carefully planned to prevent him from mobilising support against the purported recall of his representation of Kogi West from the Senate, GOD manifested Himself by using the good people of Kogi West senatorial zone to stem the tide against him by making the cup to pass over the Senator even in his absence.

    “Despite his current travails, his inability to mobilise his constituents and also deploy agents to monitor the signature verification exercise, countless number of supporters volunteered to do it without minding the associated risks posed by the Kogi State Government. It is therefore important for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to act truly independent by announcing a result that truly reflects the wishes of the majority electorate of Kogi West as demonstrated today.

    “No doubt, to recall a representative is guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the right of the electorate, what the good people of Kogi West and other lovers of democracy outside the state, who are praying for Senator Dino Melaye, have done is to stop an instigated and purported recall against him because it is undemocratic, self serving and beneficial to only a few.

    “It is pertinent to say here, that though the battle for the recall has been won and lost, the safety of Senator Dino Melaye in the hospital as heavily guarded by the Police since Tuesday is a cause for concern even as we decry the arrest, continued detention and trial of his brothers, aides, friends and lawyers on trumped-up charges by the police.

    “We appeal to all Nigerians of good conscience to continue to help us pray for the safety and immediate freedom of Senator Dino Melaye so that he can return to his family and duty post – responsive representation of his people in the Senate – because his victory over the purported recall today will certainly spite his traducers and they may devise new ways of rubbishing him for no just cause.”

  • ‘Melaye’s recall suffers setback…result sheets hijacked’

    The recall verification exercise of the senator representing Kogi West, Mr Dino Melaye has suffered a setback in Mopamuro Local Government Area of the state as the exercise recorded a very low turnout of petitioners.

    NAN Correspondent who monitored the verification exercise reports that between 70- 80 per cent of the petitioners in all the 10 wards in the council failed to come out to verify their signatures.

    The exercise which lasted for six hours from 8am to 2pm, was very peaceful, free, fair and credible as the scanty petitioners were seeing verifying their signature with low turnout.

    In Ward 01 (Units: 001; 002; 003) , Ward 03 (Units: 01; 02; and some other units in other wards, only 20 to 25 per cent of the petitioners were recorded as counted by the poll officers.

    However, one polling unit each in Ward 06 and 07, Orokere and Takete-Ide respectively recorded 40 and 45 per cent turnout while only one polling unit recorded 90 per cent turnout (103 out of 110 petitioners.

    Many voters expressed their displeasure over the appearance of their names on the recall register, saying they were shocked because they never at anytime signed any document for Melaye’s recall.

    One of the voters at Ward 06, unit 04, Mrs Funmilayo Ojo, said that she was surprised to see her name among the petitioners, saying “it shall not be well with the perpetrators of such act”.

    However, some hoodlums attacked INEC office in Mopamuro Local Government, disrupting the collation of results, shooting in the air, damaging vehicles and escaping with results sheets, while the INEC staff fled for safety.

    One of the INEC staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the hoodlums were political thugs who accompanied an aide of Gov. Yahaya Bello to the INEC office to challenge the outcome of the verification exercise as it did not favour them.

  • Kogi youth threaten INEC officials, oppose Melaye’s recall

    Voters in Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in Kogi have shunned the ongoing verification exercise organised by INEC to authenticate the signatures of voters seeking to recall Sen. Dino Melaye (APC/Kogi West).

    Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), monitoring the exercise in Mr Melaye’s Kogi West Senatorial District, observed that the polling units were empty, with many people claiming that they were not aware of it.

    At some areas, youth protested against the move to recall the senator who they described as “an excellent representative”.

    An NYSC member, Opemipo Solomon, the INEC officer at Akafe Lane polling unit, said that no one had showed up since they arrived the voting venue at 6.45 a.m.

    “No one has come to sign the recall papers; what we have had so far are threats from people asking us leave this place.

    “The people do not appear interested in what we are doing. Some youths have come to warn us against staying here,” she said.

    Another corps member, David Adah, INEC presiding officer at the Odo Akete polling unit also in Kabba, said that many youth were angry over the recall process.

    “So many youths from the community are angry; they have alleged that their signatures were forged to endorse the recall process.

    “Most of the youths, who saw their names among those that signed for the recall of Melaye, have disowned the signatures and insisted that they are happy with the Senator,” he said.

    At the embattled senator’s polling unit in Ayetoro Gbede, a traditional ruler, Ojo Adekunle, who led some youth to protest against the recall process, said they were not aware of Mr Melaye’s offence.

    “Melaye has done so well and we are happy with him; we have no reason to want to recall him,” he said.

    Mr Adekunle told NAN that Mr Melaye was the best Senator Kogi West had ever produced, and urged his people not to betray their representative at this trying period.

    Vicoria Ajewole, APC Woman Leader in Kabba Local Government, expressed surprise at the recall process, and declared that “it won”t work”.

    “Melaye is our son; there is no way anyone can recall him,” she said.

    At the central area of Kabba town, youth were seen chanting songs in praise of Mr Melaye.

    They vowed to resist attempt to disgrace him.

    Efforts to speak with INEC officials at the commission’s office in Kabba proved abortive as they refused to comment on the exercise

    Policemen keeping watch at the polling points also refused to comment on the exercise.

  • PDP backs Melaye, warns members to stay away from recall

    The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on members to shun what it described as the government contrived recall process of Senator Dino Melaye.

    The party on Friday in a statement by its Director, Research and Documentation, Achadu Dickson, labelled the planned recall of the member representing the Kogi West Senatorial district, as a hoax, and urged members to kick against it.

    It dissociated itself from the recall process, describing it as undemocratic and a display of executive recklessness against opposing voices.

    The PDP asserted that it is in support of the embattled APC senator in exposing bad governance that has characterized the Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration in Kogi.

    It said that Senator Melaye’s message of inept leadership and bad governance that has brought the state to its lowest ebb, “only goes to reinforce the PDP’s position that Kogi is now a failed state, and made a laughing stock among comity of states in Nigeria.

    The statement called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, not to lend themselves as tools in the forceful plan to deny the people of Kogi West the right to elected representation, without necessarily being at the mercy of the executive arm of government.

    It urged members to remain peaceful and law abiding, and not to succumb to intimidation from mischief makers in achieving the recall.

    Recall that INEC had on Wednesday said it will commence the verification of petitioners signature from April 28.

  • Buhari’s tyranny shouldn’t make you sit on the road, scream like a tout – Fani-Kayode tells Melaye

    Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has berated Dino Melaye for jumping off a police van and threatening to kill himself so he can put the police officers in trouble.

    In a post he share on his IG page, FFK said the tyranny of the Buhari led government should not push anyone to the extent they seat on the floor and begin to lament like touts. Read what he wrote below

    A Senator of the Federal Republic should not behave like this: not even an APC one. This is not honor. This is not class. This is not strength.

    I deplore what Buhari is doing to all those that oppose him, including those that put him in power like my aburo Senator Dino Melaye, but we must face our collective oppressors with dignity, strength and courage.

    The tyranny of Buhari must not push us to this state where we sit on the floor in the street and scream, shout and lament like touts.

    I was arrested numerous times by the security agencies, I was incarcerated for a total of 60 days and some of those days were in terror cells with Boko Haram suspects and convicts.

    I never jumped out of a moving vehicle in an attempt to escape and I never threatened to “kill myself” and “put everyone in trouble”. In this struggle fear of torture, death or jail has no place because our enemies are not God.

    Their time will soon come to an end and in the end we shall prevail. We must confront them with self-respect, dignity, strength and courage.
    Dark may be the night but joy comes in the morning! My prayers are with Dino and his family at this trying time.