Police at Melaye’s Abuja residence

Policemen yesterday surrounded the Abuja home of embattled Senator Dino Melaye.

The Kogi West senator had a brush with security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport when he was stopped from travelling to Morocco by Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) operatives.

NIS spokesman Sunday James, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Melaye was arrested by Immigration officials “based on instruction”.

The confirmation came hours after Melaye announced the arrest on his Twitter handle at 7:32 a.m.

“I have just been arrested at the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on my way to Morocco for an official engagement sponsored by the Federal Government after checking in,” he tweeted.

The police recently declared the senator wanted after he was accused of supplying arms to some murder suspects. A case was filed against him before the Federal High Court in Lokoja

The senator has denied the allegation which he describes as politically motivated.

Our reporter who visited Melaye’s 11 Sangha Street, Maitama residence saw a horde of armed policemen around the house.

An unmarked police van blocked the street.

The policemen were led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). Asked why the besieged Melaye’s house, the ACP declined comments and directed reporters to Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood.

Melaye was said to have been “mysteriously” whisked away from the airport in a waiting Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) while the stand-off lasted.

The immigration operatives were said to have loosened their hold on Melaye when the police could not pin anything on him.

It was also gathered that the Immigration officials, who thought that they were helping the police to do their work when they initially held Melaye, were embarrassed that the police could not take him into custody.

The police have been on the trail of Melaye for weeks after he was declared wanted for alleged possession of illegal firearms.

Another dimension was added to the drama when a large number of protesters and women said to have come from Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Abuja stormed Melayes’s residence.

While the IDPs sat in front of Melaye’s gate in apparent move to frustrate his arrest, the protesters vowed to follow Melaye wherever the police wanted to take him to.

Addressing reporters at Melaye’s house, Senate Minority Whip Philip Aduda said: “Some of us came here with a view to reporting to the presiding officers and principal officers on what we have seen.

“I will report appropriately on what I saw, but I don’t believe this should happen.’’

It was learnt that six senators had visited Melaye’s residence.

One of Melaye’s legal advisers, Frank Tietie, told reporters that the senator had insisted that his life will be in danger if he was taken to Kogi State.

”I will challenge the police today. Please offer us the legal instrument, the court order that justified the invasion of Senator Dino Melaye’s residence and holding him to ransom. He is under siege .

Asked why Melaye does not want to submit himself to the police, Tietie said: “Under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, particularly Section 98, the Chief Judge of Federal High Court has the discretionary power to consider the security of an accused person. On this subject matter, the counsel of Melaye has written to Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, saying his client’s safety is not guaranteed in Kogi State. Look at all the harassment he has received in Kogi State and he has escaped two assassination attempts and police acknowledged that.

“The man said, look, you can only prosecute the living. There is a police headquarters in Abuja. I am staying there and I can tender myself and I can go there and submit myself for questioning.”

”As far as I am concerned, if the man has been given an invitation by the police he would not hesitate to submit himself to the police. Don’t forget that we have one Nigeria police that has its headquarters at Area 11 Abuja.

“The man is willing to go to Force Headquarters, allow him to go to Force Headquarters and submit himself.

“He does not believe that he must be taken to Kogi State where his life is not guaranteed. His right to life must be guaranteed.”

Melaye was holed up in his house.

 

Why we are there, by police

From Faith Yahaya, Abuja

The police said last night that their siege to Senator Dino Melaye’s residence was necessitated by his involvement in a case of unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

Force Deputy Spokesman Adeniran Aremu said: “Our action was prompted because he was invited in case of unlawful possession of firearms and other crimes and which police has invited him on more than two or three occasions but he failed to honour the invitation. That is why we are there right now.”

On why they were after him despite the case being in court, Adeniran said: “You know when a case is in court, there is no law that stops you from further questioning, if you need to answer question on the suspects.

“There is no law that stops the police from further inviting him or asking questions about the case.”

Melaye’s case on his alleged involvement in illegal procurement of firearms is scheduled to resume at the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State on May 10.

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