‘Dino Melaye almost killed a police officer, we won’t leave his residence’, police vows

On December 28, 2018, Melaye informed the world that his Mississippi residence in upmarket Abuja, had been besieged by gun-totting police personnel.

“All entrances to my residence in Mississippi have been secured by the police. A man in Jallabia has gone forth and back my street more than 10 times. Cameras recording. They are trying to plant guns in the cars outside. We are watching. They have forcefully entered my compound. Police took over my Abuja residence. Beat security man to stupor and handcuffed him and put him in a truck”, Melaye wrote in a couple of tweets.

'We just want Melaye to surrender'

In a press statement sent to Pulse on December 30, 2018, and signed by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Jimoh Moshood, the police says it is not about to back off Melaye’s residence just yet, until the senator throws up his arms in total surrender.

“Senator Dino Melaye is wanted by the Police for a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide, committed on 19th July, 2018, when Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs attacked Police personnel; shot and wounded Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State”, the statement read.

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, wants Melaye to answer for his alleged crimes ece-auto-gen

The police adds that Melaye was duly issued a letter of summon to answer for his alleged crimes, one he has flagrantly disobeyed.

“The Police operatives with a duly obtained Warrant of Arrest deployed to arrest Senator Dino Melaye in his residence in Abuja will not retreat until Senator Dino Melaye surrenders himself for arrest and investigation.

“It is on record that the Police investigators submitted a Letter of Invitation dated 23rd July, 2018, signed by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command addressed to the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja, inviting Senator Dino Melaye to report on 26th July, 2018 at 1100Hrs 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”.

Letter of invitation

The police also called out Senate President Bukola Saraki who claimed that there was no letter of invitation from the police to the national assembly over Melaye.

Saraki had said; “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”.

Saraki says Melaye is being victimized because he belongs to the opposition PDP ece-auto-gen

In its recent statement, the police said: “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 attached letter with acknowledgment stamp of the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja “24 JUL 2018“. Despite this, Senator Dino Melaye bluntly refused to report himself to the Police till date.

“For avoidance of doubt, attached to this Press Release are the copies of pictures of the shot Police Officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, the Police Invitation Letter addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly, Abuja and the Medical Report from the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, confirming the admission of Sgt. Danjuma Saliu into the Hospital for treatment of the gunshot injury he sustained from the attack by Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs while on Stop and Search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State on 19th July, 2018.

“The Police Officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care in the hospital.

Senator Dino Melaye often laughs off police invitations ece-auto-gen

“The Force will ensure a thorough investigation into this matter while making sure that the rule of law prevails and that no suspect no matter how highly placed, involved in any criminal matter escape justice”, the statement added.

Melaye spent most of 2018 in police trouble. In April, Melaye jumped off a moving police truck while being driven to his home State of Kogi for prosecution over a slew of criminal charges. He landed in hospital for his troubles.