Police place Senator on Interpol's wanted list

The Nigeria Police Force has declared Kogi lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, a wanted man after he failed to honour an invitation to answer questions over the charge of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms against him.

While speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Ali Janga, said the lawmaker representing Kogi West senatorial district has been added to a watch list by Interpol for immediate arrest anywhere he is found.

He is wanted alongside Mohammed Audu, son of a former governor of the state, Abubakar Audu, after both were indicted by two criminal suspects on a conspiracy to cause trouble in the state.

The police made the declaration after revealing that the two suspects who had implicated the lawmaker in gun running had escaped from custody.

The criminal suspects, Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama, and Nuhu Salisu, aka Small, escaped with four other inmates from a police cell where they were being held in Lokoja, Kogi's capital.

"Investigation into the unfortunate incident is ongoing, while the thirteen (13) Police Officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were defaulted and detained for interrogation," the police statement read.

Seidu and Salisu were due to be arraigned in court on Wednesday after they were arrested on January 19, 2018, at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi. They confessed to the police that Senator Melaye hired them to cause unrest in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.

While the police have extended an invitation to Melaye through the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asking him to come in and answer questions about the allegations at its Kogi command, he has refused to honour the invitation, alleging that the police is colluding with the Kogi State government to cause him harm.

Melaye fears for his life

In a recent petition he wrote to the United Nations, he said assassination attempts on his life have left him living in fear.

He said, "As things stand, I live each day in constant and reasonable fear for my life, looking over my shoulders and being harassed by the named politicians. The police are a willing tool in the hands of these politicians.

"I am a law-abiding citizen who voluntarily submitted myself before the FCT High Court to answer charges which I know were unsustainable. However, the situation I am in right now gives me reason to believe that the law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, are in cohorts with my political enemies and can even go to the extent."

Melaye's petition was addressed to the UN, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, the UK High Commissioner, the Canadian Ambassador, the German Ambassador, Transparency International, and Human Rights Watch.