Ime Akpan
For the fourth time in recent months, the police took over the Abuja residence of the senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, Mr. Dino Melaye.
It was gathered that no fewer than 20 police officers arrived at the lawmaker’s home on Friday morning.
Although it could not be ascertained when the police personnel began to arrive, Melaye first tweeted about it around 11am.
“All entrances to my residence in Mississippi have been secured by the police that claim there is no order to arrest me. One truck by centagon school too. Media and Nigerians take note. We have pictures of those involved.
“They have just zoomed off the trucks leaving 3 men at different end of my street wearing black.
“Two trucks with people wearing black in front on centagon school on Mississippi Maitama. Toyota Siena at the entrance of Sangha Street, gold colour Honda accord roaming the street.
“A man in jallabia have gone forth and back my street more than 10 times.
“Two Hilux truck have now blocked my gate with men in mufti numbering 20 Cameras recording. They are trying to plant guns in the cars outside. We are watching.
“They have forcefully entered my compound,” he said.
Initial reports said the senator had locked himself up in one of the rooms in the sprawling residence.
But in a conference call with reporters, he said he was outside Abuja, and only learnt about the police invasion in the media.
“I am not in Abuja, but I plan to make myself available when I return,” he said.
It would be recalled that on December 25, Melaye had raised the alarm that there was a plan by the police to arrest him and give him a lethal injection adding that the Kogi State commissioner of police had been removed in order to perfect the plot.
“There is a plan by the IG to arrest me today and inject me to death. Men deployed already. CP kogi and others removed. Nigerians watch out,” he had tweeted.
But police spokesman, Mr. Moshood Jimoh disclaimed the allegation in a statement saying the lawmaker’s claim “is mischievous, malicious, capable of misleading the public and laughable.”
He said there was no such order from the inspector general of police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris or any plan by the police to arrest Melaye and inject him to death.
“But if the senator knows he had committed any crime or he is aware of his involvement in any crime, he should come out and confess and face the legal consequences instead of whipping up sentiments to distract the public.
“The Force sees such defamatory, mischievous, malicious and reckless statement by Senator Dino Melaye as untrue, ridiculous, mischievous and unfortunate.”
“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to disregard and discountenance the statement by Senator Dino Melaye in its entirety as untrue and mischievous,” said the police.
