Melaye wanted for attempted homicide; we won’t end siege until he surrenders– Police

The police has confirmed and justified the siege laid to the Abuja residence of Senator Dino Melaye by its personnel, saying he is wanted for attempted homicide.

The force alleged that Melaye and his armed thugs shot and injured one Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force who was on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State on July 19, 2018.

The force spokesman, acting DCP Moshood Jimoh, said this in a statement following the police siege to Melaye’s Abuja residence earlier on Friday.

According to him, police investigators had written to the Clerk of the National Assembly asking Melaye to report at the Kogi State Police Command, Lokoja, to answer to the offences against him “but he has bluntly refused to report himself to the Police.”

Jimoh said, “The offence was committed by Melaye and his armed thugs in Kogi State on the 19th July 2018 when they shot and wounded Saliu. The Police Officer is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care.”

The force said that its operatives will continue to wait at the lawmaker’s residence until the senator surrendered.

It stated, “The Police operatives will continue to be in wait at the residence of Senator Melaye until he surrenders for arrest.

“The offence for which Melaye is being investigated is capital in nature and not compoundable.

“The Force will not tolerate an attack on his personnel by any individual no matter how highly placed.

” The law must take its course.”

Read also: Police invade Sen. Dino Melaye’s Abuja residence

Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the siege as tyranny taken too far.

The coalition’s first national spokesperson, Imo Ugochinyere, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

Ugochinyere claimed the move to arrest Melaye is not unconnected with the planned protest being allegedly anchored by the senator against the plot to extend the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

He regretted that the raid came at a time an activist, Deyi Adeyanju, is allegedly being persecuted.

The statement read, “An Inspector-General of Police who only specialises on how to swoop on opposition leaders and voices while bandits and criminal have a field day killing, robbing and maiming citizens without as much as a challenge.

“Nigerians are still in shock about the persecution of Deji Adeyanju by the police, the police have today (Friday) invaded the home of Senator Dino Melaye with brute force just a couple of days after they denied the alarm he raised about a nocturnal plot to arrest him and inject him to death.

“This move to arrest him is obviously not unconnected with the planned protest being allegedly anchored by Dino Melaye against the unconstitutional plot to extend the tenure of the Inspector-General Police.”

Ugochinyere noted that thousands of people have been displaced from Zamfara villages due to attacks by bandits while the IGP has not shown concern.

He added, “President Buhari has not visited Zamfara to condole with citizens, make on-the-spot assessments and take necessary steps to bring the unbridled shedding of blood under control.”

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