The siege on the lawmaker’s home has now reached a week with no resolution is sight.
An Abuja division of the Federal High Court has rejected an
application by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West – PDP) to order police
officers to end a siege on his residence.
Officers invaded Melaye’s Abuja home
on Friday, December 28, 2018 to arrest him for his involvement in the
alleged shooting of a police Officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, in July 2018.
The lawmaker has refused to surrender to the
authorities and has made several social media posts and videos to taunt
and accuse the Police of persecution.
In an application he submitted to the court,
he requested that the officers be ordered to vacate his residence and
desist from further attempts to arrest him. He alleged that the actions
of the Nigeria Police Force is threatening his life and requested the
court for the enforcement of his fundamental rights.
In a ruling by presiding judge, Justice N. E. Maha,
on Thursday, January 3, 2019, the court failed to grant an ex-parte
order that would have stopped the authorities from continuing with the
siege until the issue has been properly heard in court. However, Justice
Maha ruled that the substantive matter be granted accelerated hearing.
The ruling will be a blow to Melaye whose
brother, Moses, alleged on Thursday that the lawmaker is being targeted
because of his antagonism of the current government.
Why Melaye is wanted by Police
Melaye took to his Twitter account late on July 19, 2018 to raise alarm over an assassination attempt on his life which he alleged was carried out by the police and military.
He tweeted, “I thank God for spearing (sic) my
life once again. Over 20 bullets holes on my jeep. Combination of
police,SARS and military. God I thank you.”
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Kogi Command, DSP William Aya, he said the senator deliberately twisted the facts of the matter as it was his security aides who shot and injured a police sergeant first.
He said Melaye’s convoy had been flagged down
by officers of the Anti-Robbery/Kidnapping Patrol Team on a
stop-and-search operation when they were fired upon after some of the
vehicles in the convoy refused to stop.
DSP Aya said the officers only fired back in
self-defence at the vehicles, which escaped from the scene, before they
found out that it was the lawmaker’s convoy.
He then called on Melaye to report with the
people in his convoy to the State Criminal Intelligence and
Investigation Department, Lokoja, to assist in the investigation.
Despite another notification sent to the
office of the Clerk of the National Assembly for the lawmaker to appear
for questioning, he failed to honour the invitation.
Officers previously attempted to arrest the lawmaker in his Kogi home in October 2018, an attempt that he also alleged was an assassination attempt sponsored by the Kogi State government.