Saraki reacts to alleged invasion of Dino Melaye’s home by police

chika ebuzor

December 30, 2018 11:23 AM

The Nigerian Police Force, on Friday, December 28, 2018, said that its men were at Melaye’s residence to arrest him for a crime he committed in July.

Senator Dino Melaye

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has reacted to the alleged invasion of Senator Dino Melaye’s home by the police.

The Nigerian Police Force, on Friday, December 28, 2018, said that its men were at Melaye’s residence to arrest him for a crime he committed in July.

According to the spokesman of the force, Jimoh Moshood the lawmaker allegedly ordered his thugs to shoot a police Sergeant, Danjuma Saliu.

Speaking on the incident, Saraki called on the police force to stay away from politics.

The senate President also described the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris ‘as the most partisan head of the Nigerian Police ever in the history of this country.’

According to Daily Post, Saraki said “It has not gone without notice that Senator Melaye is a member of the opposition. We cannot remember any member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) being treated in this manner. Even the one who allegedly led thugs to forcefully seize the mace while Senate was in session, in the full glare of television camera, is still roaming the streets free without prosecution.

“This method of digging out some old charges and allegations to arrest and incarcerate political opponents has presented this current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, as the most partisan head of the Nigerian Police ever in the history of this country. We have continued to call on the security agencies to steer clear of partisanship and be professional in their activities.

“This country is not a banana country. Nobody is saying the police should not do their work in the prevention of crime and enforcement of laws. However, a pattern of creating trumped up charges, implicating those who have contrary views to the administration and employing crude tactics under the pretext of enforcing laws is unacceptable to us. It is not because Senator Melaye is the victim this time around. This should not happen to any Nigerian.

“We are disturbed that the administration remains non-challant about this negative development by claiming that these excesses and anti-democratic activities of the police are proper and normal and that they do not want to interfere with the work of the law enforcement agents, but we all know these oppressive tactics of the police have something to do with the coming Polls.

ALSO READ: Dino Melaye Senator accuses police of tormenting his life

“The Police cannot act outside the law of the land. They should not be infringing on the rights of people. They should not be oppressing the people and they should not be adopting extra-legal measures under the guise of enforcing law. They should vacate Senator Melaye’s house immediately, release the innocent domestic staff in his house who cannot be said to have committed any offence, stop the interference with utility services in his house and ensure that all their actions are within the ambit of the law.”

Meanwhile, Senator Dino Melaye has called on the police to stop chasing him around like a criminal

chika ebuzor