Ime Akpan
Senator Shehu Sani has advised his colleague, Senator Dino Melaye to hand voluntarily surrender to the police authorities so that the police would in turn end what he described as “Gaza treatment” which he said “is unhelpful to the image of the police, the government and the nation.”
‘Gaza treatment’ is a reference to Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Police personnel have laid siege to Melaye’s sprawling Abuja mansion since last Friday and cut off water and electricity supplies to the residence while the senator is believed to be holed up in the house.
Sani who took to his twitter handle wrote: “The police should end the siege on Senator Dino’s House and the Senator should voluntarily present himself to the police with his legal team. The Gaza treatment is unhelpful to the image of the police, the government and the nation.”
The police, on their part have vowed not to call off the siege until Melaye surrendered himself for arrest and investigation.
Police spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood said in a statement that the lawmaker is wanted for a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide allegedly committed on July 19, 2018.
“Senator Melaye is wanted by the Police for a case of Criminal Conspiracy and Attempted Culpable Homicide, committed on July 19, 2018, when Senator Melaye and his armed thugs attacked Police personnel; shot and wounded Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.
“Police operatives with a duly obtained warrant of arrest deployed to arrest Senator Melaye in his residence in Abuja will not retreat until Senator Melaye surrenders himself for arrest and investigation.
“It is on record that the Police investigators submitted a Letter of Invitation July 23, 2018, by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command addressed to the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja, inviting Senator Melaye to report on July 26, 2018 at 1100Hrs at the Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja to answer to a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide against him under investigation in the Kogi State Police Command.
“The claim by the Senate President in the media that the Police did not submit a letter of invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly is therefore, incorrect as can be seen on attached letter with acknowledgment stamp of the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja “July 24.” Despite this, Senator Dino bluntly refused to report himself to the Police till date.
“For avoidance of doubt, attached to this statement are the copies of pictures of the shot Police Officer, Sgt. Saliu, the Police Invitation letter addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly, Abuja and the medical report from the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, confirming the admission of Sgt. Saliu into the hospital for treatment of the gunshot injury he sustained from the attack by Senator Melaye and his armed thugs while on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State on July 19, 2018.
“The Police Officer, Sgt. Saliu, is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care in the hospital.
“The force will ensure a thorough investigation into this matter while making sure that the rule of law prevails and that no suspect no matter how highly placed, involved in any criminal matter escape justice.
“We will not retreat until Senator Melaye surrenders himself for arrest and investigation,” he said
