'Police left Dapchi girls, held two press conferences on me'

Speaking at plenary on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, Melaye wondered why the Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood would leave Abuja for Lokoja to parade two suspects allegedly linked to him.

The Police had threatened to declare Melaye wanted should he fail to appear in a court in Kogi state defend the criminal charges bothering on against him.

The Police also accused Melaye of fleeing Nigeria, a move targetted at evading being served court summons.

Melaye who denied receipt of court summons pledged to keep fighting “even if he dies”.

His words: “The media has been awashed that I flee this country, that I am not in Nigeria and I would not return until there is change of government but here am I physically, flesh and blood.

“I start by saying that, I have not received any criminal summon from any court within the territorial area of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I also want to say that Mr. President, I have not received any arraignment notice from any court.

“I also read in the media where addressed a conference to say that he has not been served by any court in Nigeria. My house is known, my office is known, and there was no attempt to even sever me any court summon in any of my known addresses. That is to start with.

“Despite the fact that I have not been served, an arraignment has been arraignment has been carried out according to the press briefing by Moshood. No statement has been taken from me. So I do not know what investigation was conducted, before the report generated and have been arraigned according to newspaper and social media report but physically as Dino Melaye, I have not received any summon from any court.

“I am appalled that by the time I was attacked April 14, 2017, the police arrested a gang of 6 people and they were parades by the same Jimoh Moshood and he said they have made confessional statements, guns and ammunition were recovered from them and were paraded, in fact the vehicle they used in coming to attack for my attempted assassination was also recovered and all these were exhibit and laid before Kogi state judiciary.

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“These criminals have even been arraigned in court and their testimonies have been accepted as exhibits in court. Yet, one of those declared wanted by the police in my assassination attempt, is the one saying that on airport road in December, I gave him three AK 47 and N430, 000 inside my car. But as I speak to you, they failed in their myopic ignorance to state a date and time.

“I want to understand how an arraignment can be done with a criminal's confession with no date or no time. Because if you give me a date and time, I would be able to account for where I was on that date and time. You would know that the corpse they buried, they left the legs outside.

“I am also appalled, why would the Force PRO of the Force Headquarters leave Abuja to go to Lokoja to parade criminals while the state command has their PPRO even when Evans, the notorious kidnapper in the history of Federal Republic of Nigeria, was arrested, he was paraded by Lagos command and the PPRO of Lagos State addressed the media.

“Since last week, they have made me so important, they have made me a national subject that Force PRO assessed two press conferences on Dino Melaye alone.

“They refused to have press conference on Dapchi girls, Boko Haram and the killings going on in the North and the riverine area of the country but they address press conference on an innocent man twice in one week and even declaring that if I am not in court, I would be declared wanted for a matter that has already been taking to court,” he added.

In his contribution, Bauchi lawmaker, Senator Isa Misau questioned the trial of his colleague, Melaye, in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.

Misau expressed concerns of a possible breakdown of law and order in Kogi state should Melaye be tried in Lokoja.

The lawmaker called on the Police to hands off the matter and allow the law of the land to prevail.

"For the past one year we are aware of what is happening in Kogi, if we allow this tension whereby even the security situation is bad and then you allow them to take someone who has problem with the state government and where their supporters are there? There will be problem. I think we are not doing good and risking the life of our colleague," Misau said.

"Apart from that of the police are making statements that the weapons that was given on airport road, there are issues of jurisdiction, the issue should be separated, the people that committed atrocities in Kogi they can be tried in Kogi. We are calling for fairness, justice. This matter should be treated in Abuja where everyone will be seen.

"If they say they didn't see him to serve him (court processes), Dino Melaye is a public figure, his house is in Maitama and his office. They even say that if Dino Melaye does not appear in court tomorrow they will declare him wanted. If the matter is already in court it is left for the judge to decide what to do. Once the matter is in court police have removed their hands," Misau advised.

The Senate mandated it's committee on police and judiciary to investigate the issues involving Governor Yahaya Bello, Senator Melaye and the Polce. and report within 48-hours.