The police have vowed to remain at Senator Dino Melaye’s residence until he turns himself in.
In a statement on Sunday, three days into the siege by the police on the Abuja residence of the Senator, the force said he is wanted for a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide committed on July 19, 2018.
On the said day, the police allege that Senator Melaye and “his armed thugs” attacked police personnel and shot and wounded one Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, who was attached to 37 Mobile Force (PMF) on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.
“The Police operatives with a duly obtained Warrant of Arrest deployed to arrest Senator Dino Melaye in his residence in Abuja will not retreat until Senator Dino Melaye surrenders himself for arrest and investigation,” the statement by Force Public Relations Officer Jimoh Moshood said.
A team of policemen had stormed Senator Melaye’s Abuja residence on Friday to arrest him, but Melaye said in a phone interview that he was not at home and will report to the police this week.
“Presently I’m outside Abuja. I’m a Senator of the Federal Republic of Abuja, I cannot run away. I will make myself available as soon as I’m back to town next week (this week). I am not a criminal, I have not done anything wrong,” he said.
The police, however, believe he is in the house. The continued siege has been criticised by allies of the Senator and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
Senate President Bukola Saraki is one of those who faulted the move, arguing that the timing of the action by the police and the claim that Senator Melaye had been invited were not true.
“The general belief now is that the Police action against Senator @dino_melaye is aimed at keeping him out of circulation so that he would not participate in the general elections in February 2019,” Saraki tweeted.
He added, “Though the police in their statement claim that there was a request to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) inviting Senator Melaye to report to the police, my enquiry from the CNA showed that he had no such letter.”
