After 8 days in hiding, Melaye surrenders to Police

Eight days after he was holed up inside his Maitama Abuja residence in an attempt to evade arrest, the Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Dino Melaye, on Friday, finally handed himself over to the authorities. Recall that the Police had laid siege on the Senator’s residence in attempt to arrest him over a case of shooting of a Police Officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State. In a statement on Friday, Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said that Senator Melaye is currently in Police custody for investigation, and subsequently, taken to Police hospital, Abuja for medical attention and he is in stable condition. According to the statement, investigation into the case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide against him is on-going. The statement added that the case will be taken to court on completion of investigation. Senator Melaye was declared wanted by the Police for criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide, committed on 19th July, 2018, when Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs attacked Police personnel, shot and wounded SGT Danjuma Saliu on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State. The Police Investigation Team had on December 28, 2018 arrived the residence of Senator Dino Melaye with a duly obtained Warrant of Arrest to effect his arrest to answer to a case of Criminal Conspiracy and Attempted Culpable Homicide against him under investigation in the Kogi State Police Command. However, it was alleged that Senator Melaye on sighting the Police Team locked up himself in the building to evade arrest. The Warrant of Arrest, according to the statement, was obtained after Senator Melaye refused to honour Police invitation dated 23rd July, 2018, signed by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, addressed to the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja, inviting Senator Dino Melaye to report on 26th July, 2018 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 Police Investigation Team cordoned off the building and continued to be in wait for eight (8) days for Senator Melaye to obey the law and surrender himself for arrest. While the Police Investigation Team was waiting, Senator Dino Melaye granted an interview monitored on Television Stations that he was not in Abuja. This claim eventually was discovered to be completely false as Senator Dino Melaye surrendered to the waiting Police Investigation Team today at his residence in Abuja at about 1500hrs on Friday. Melaye, who is currently standing trial in more than one suit, has been accused of illegal possession of arms, gun running and sponsoring hoodlums in Kogi State. In a separate trial, he was accused of a six-count charge, bordering on attempted suicide, attempt to escape from custody and damage of police property. Meanwhile, an Abuja high court had on Thursday refused to grant Dino Melaye’s application to order the removal of police blockage on his Maitama Abuja residence. Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja