Dino Melaye, a senator representing Kogi-West, accused of criminal offences of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, is to be declared wanted.
The Nigeria Police Force is threatening to declare Melaye wanted if he fails to appear at its Kogi command on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.
But the senator has written a letter to the Inspector General of Police that he should be interrogated in Abuja.
Jimoh Moshood, the force public relations officer, in a statement, said an invitation and a court summon had been issued to Melaye, both of which he did not honour.
He said the senator is wanted on grounds of criminal offences of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.
According to the PRO, Melaye’s summon follows the arrest of two men in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, on January 19, 2018, after they confessed to having committed various crimes such as kidnappings and armed robbery.
They also disclosed that the Senator had handed them a bag containing firearms.
“The Police conducted investigation into the criminal indictments against Sen. Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu and discovered that the two of them have case to answer.
“The two suspects namely: Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama and NUHU SALISU a.k.a SMALL were paraded at the Kogi State Command Headquarters, Lokoja on March 19, 2018.”
Moshood noted that a letter was sent to Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, on March 2, 2018, asking Melaye to appear before the Kogi state police command headquarters to answer to the allegations against him, yet there was no response.
The Police warned him to show up else, he would be arrested.
“As we speak, Dino Melaye despite the letter sent to the Senate President, refused to honour Police Invitation till date and also refused to appear in court and has also continued to evade the service of criminal summon on him to appear before the Federal High Court, Lokoja on March 28, 2018 to answer to the charge of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms against him and Mohammed Audu.
“The Nigeria Police Force is, therefore, using this medium to advise Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu in their interest to comply with the order of the court and appear on March 28, 2018, before Federal High Court, Lokoja to answer to the criminal charges against them.
“The Nigeria Police Force will continue to sustain the Rule of Law and maintain Law and Order throughout the Country,” the statement read in part.’’
Meanwhile, the Kogi West senator, says he stands by his position to appear before the police only in Abuja, as he believes his safety cannot be guaranteed in Kogi state.
He made the comments in a letter written by his lawyer on Saturday, March 24, 2018, in response to a summon by the police, to appear before the command in Kogi state.
The senator also referred to a letter which the lawyer had written to the Inspector General of Police on March 21, 2018, in which he outlined several steps taken by the police command in Kogi state which according to him, appeared to indicate that the senator’s life would be in danger.
In the letter, the lawyer made an appeal to the police boss to intervene and allow the senator submit himself to the police in Abuja.
