Controversies trail Melaye’s whereabouts

THERE were controversies in Lokoja, Kogi state capital on Tuesday over the whereabouts of the Senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Dino Melaye.

The embattled senator was to be paraded and arraigned at a Lokoja magistrate court by the police over an allegation of illegal possession of firearms following his arrest in Abuja.

However, journalists and other stakeholders that had gathered at the police headquarters in Lokoja were stunned when the police failed to bring the lawmaker to the command headquarters.

The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Aremu Adeniran, who first spoke about the situation said Melaye had submitted himself to the police and would be arraigned at a subsequent time.

However, as the waiting game continued at the police headquarters, sources within the police said Melaye had been arraigned at the Magistrate Court in Lokoja, who had granted an order to the police to remind him in their custody.

However, another theory has it that the embattled Senator jumped out of the police vehicle that was bringing him to Lokoja from Abuja shouting for help and was whisked away by another vehicle.

The source said, “Dino at the under a bridge in Area 1, Abuja, jumped out of the vehicle and started shouting ‘They are going to kill me o, they want to kill me o’. And before one could say anything, a large mob gathered and surrounded him before a yet to be identified vehicle came to his rescue and whisked him to an unknown destination.

Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday Aremu said “Melaye surrendered himself to the Police after series of dodging following the indictment on him by two suspects, Kabiru Saidu a.k.a. Osama and Nuhu Ahmed who named him as their sponsors and suppliers of guns for armed robbery, kidnapping and political thuggery”.

He said the Senator had ignored series of invitations to answer to criminal offences of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms levelled against him.

“Sequel to his refusal to honour police invitations, he was therefore Watch listed through the Nigeria Police INTERPOL Office and in compliance to the INTERPOL’s Watch List, the officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service intercepted and collected his International Passport from him at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. While this was on, he snatched the passport from the officers at the Airport and bolted away to his house.

“In furtherance of this, the Police obtained a warrant of arrest and trailed him to his house at Maitama, Abuja and cordoned off the place. Police exercise restraints from undue provocation from some Internally Displaced Persons mobilized by the Senator numbering over 200, mostly youths, pregnant women and children. They barricaded the road leading to his house with wood and heavy stones and restricted access. He, however, surrendered himself to the police this morning (yesterday) 24, April 2018 for investigation on the allegations against him.”

But fundings at the Magistrate court revealed that the court was only notified of Melaye’s arraignment which was slated for today (Wednesday).