Alleged Culpable Homicide: Melaye Finally Surrenders to Police, Slumps

Alleged Culpable Homicide: Melaye Finally Surrenders to Police, Slumps

By Alex Enumah  in  Abuja

The Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye, yesterday, surrendered to the Nigeria Police, exactly a week after operatives of the Force besieged his Abuja residence seeking his arrest over alleged attempted culpable homicide.

The Senator, however, slumped as he entered the Special Anti-Robbery Squad headquarters in Abuja. In a video by Channels Television, Melaye is seen being helped into the vehicle by some people around him, with some saying, “Give him water.”

The Force had since Friday, December 28, 2018, laid siege at the No: 11 Sangha Street, off Mississippi, Maitama, Abuja, residence of the Senator in a bid to arrest him over alleged act of attempted culpable homicide.

Before the siege, Melaye had tweeted that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris had ordered for his arrest and plans to inject him to death.

The police denied the allegations and urged Melaye to present himself to the Force instead of whipping up public sentiment.

However, few days later, the police swooped on the Senator at his house in Abuja, forcing him to go underground. But the Force vowed never to vacate the premises until he turns himself in for investigation over the alleged act.

Exactly a week after, Melaye who had been tweeting from his hiding place finally turned himself to the police for investigation.

Report has it that, the embattled Senator decided to surrender himself to the police shortly after some legislators from both Chambers of the National Assembly paid him a visit alongside his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

The Senator, whom sources say appears sick and in need of medical attention, made his way to the Headquarters of the Police Force in Abuja to meet with the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

However, following the absence of the IG, who was believed to be having a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, the lawmaker was later moved to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad office, Guzape, Abuja.

The current location of the embattled Senator cannot be ascertained, as information reaching us confirmed that the Senator was no longer at the SARS office, and that he may have been taken away for medical attention.

Melaye, according to a statement by the Force, was wanted over allegations of attempted culpable homicide he and some of his alleged thugs have committed in Lokaja, Kogi State, on July 19, last year.

The allegation was that he “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.”

The police said they resorted to a siege on his residence following the Senator’s refusal to honour various police invitation for investigation of the alleged crime.

Before yesterday’s surrender, the Senator had through the court attempted to get the police off his premises but failed as the court refused to grant his exparte application to that effect.

The court, however, ordered an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit.

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