Melaye says SARS tried to kill him in his Kogi home

The lawmaker took to his Twitter account early on Friday, October 12, 2018, to allege that officers arranged by the Kogi State government invaded his home in Kogi at 1am to kill him.

The outspoken lawmaker also noted that he has evidence of the assassination attempt and will write a petition to the United Nations (UN) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He posted, "2 i/c mopol,OC SARS & 2 1/c SARS and 3 full load of policemen ilegally arranged by ADC to Kogi State Governor came to my country home in Aiyetoro Gbede to possibly assasinate me at 1am.

"I have profound evidence of this. I will take them up on this. I will write the UN and ICC."

Why we invaded Melaye's home - Police

In response to Melaye's assassination allegations, the Kogi State Police Command released a statement to disclose that officers were sent to his house to effect his arrest for failing to honour an official invitation to answer questions over the July shooting of an officer, Danjuma Salihu, by thugs who were in the lawmaker's convoy.

He dismissed the lawmaker's allegations of an assassination plot, and the alleged involvement of the aide-de-camp (ADC) to Governor Yahaya Bello.

An official statement read, "The ADC has nothing to do with this case. The Command wish to state unequivocally that the statement is not only a figment of the imagination of Sen. Melaye who has mastered the art of political gimmickry, but totally false, malicious and highly mischievous.

"The Commissioner of Police sent police officers to his country home for arrest, unfortunately we did not get him at home.

"The Senator was invited officially by the Command through letter No. AR:3000/KGS/X/VOL.43/670 dated 23/7/2018 to come and answer the charges on him but up to the time of releasing this press statement, he refused to show up or give reasons of not honouring our invitation.

"The Senator is wanted by the Kogi State Police Command for criminal conspiracy, attempted culpable homicide and unlawful possession of firearms."

Why Melaye is wanted by Police this time

The lawmaker had previously taken to his Twitter account late on July 19, 2018 to raise alarm over an assassination attempt on his life which he alleged was carried out by the police and military.

He tweeted, "I thank God for spearing (sic) my life once again. Over 20 bullets holes on my jeep. Combination of police,SARS and military. God I thank you."

In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Kogi Command, DSP William Aya, he said the senator deliberately twisted the facts of the matter as it was his security aides who shot and injured a police sergeant first.

He said Melaye's convoy had been flagged down by officers of the Anti-Robbery/Kidnapping Patrol Team on a stop-and-search operation when they were fired upon after some of the vehicles in the convoy refused to stop.

DSP Aya said the officers only fired back in self-defence at the vehicles, which escaped from the scene, before they found out that it was the lawmaker's convoy.

He then called on Melaye to report with the people in his convoy to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Lokoja, to assist in the investigation.

Melaye's troubles with Police

This is not the first time the Senator is getting in trouble with the police over an alleged assassination attempt on his life.

Earlier this year, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation filed a lawsuit against him for allegedly providing false information to the police about an assassination attempt on his life.

In the suit (CR/106/18) filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama on January 31, 2018, Melaye is accused of falsely incriminating Kogi's Governor Yahaya Bello's Chief of Staff, Edward Onoja David, as well as making false statement in regards to the attempted assassination.

In the first count, he is accused of falsely incriminating Edward David in his assassination attempt claim. Melaye is accused of deliberately giving false information to the police to frame David as the mastermind of the assassination attempt on his life at his hometown in Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi state on April 17, 2017.

According to the charge, the police discovered the alleged falsehood in Melaye's claim while investigating his allegation.

In the second count, Melaye is accused of making with Mohammed Abubakar, son of the late ex-governor of Kogi state, Abubakar Audu, with the intention of harming the reputation of David.

ALSO READ: Senator Melaye now has 3 criminal cases in 3 courts

The lawmaker has two other criminal cases in court as he's been charged with criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, political thuggery and other violent crimes in Kogi state before the Senior Magistrate Court 2 in Lokoja; as well as charges of criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody before an Abuja Magistrate Court.