Senate President Bukola Saraki says the siege on the residence
of Senator Dino Melaye in the last couple of days, has everything to do
with politics.

On December 28, 2018, Melaye raised
the alarm over police presence in his upmarket Mississippi residence in
the nation’s capital city of Abuja.

“Police took over my Abuja residence. Beat security man to stupor and handcuffed him and put him in a truck”, Melaye said, before claiming that utility services to his apartment have been cut off for effect.

Dino Melaye has become a wanted man

“Nigerians can drive or walk through my
street to confirm Moshood Jimoh’s lies. Water and light cut off for 3
days now. These guys are so dishonourable. God help Nigeria. We shall
overcome.

“To God alone be the glory. I shall not
die but live. Nigeria is my only country. I cannot and will not run away
because of frivolous lies and charges. We all own this country and
justice must reign. I will never be afraid of him who can only kill and
injure the flesh and not the spirit”, Melaye wrote in a couple of tweets. 

Wanted because of elections

In a statement sent to Pulse,
Saraki said his buddy is being pursued for his political affiliations
and because he will be a major player in the forthcoming elections.

“The general belief now is that the police
action against Senator Melaye was aimed at keeping him out of
circulation so that he would not participate in the general elections
coming in February. The manner of invasion on his house is highly
suspicious. 

“This same man has been charged with
sundry and needless allegations and he has attended the various court
sessions. He is also a candidate in the coming elections and therefore
have no reason to run away from the country”, Saraki said.

Senate President Bukola Saraki thinks Melaye’s travails are politically motivated

The senate president added that: “If there
was an offence allegedly committed in July and the police waited till
now, we do not see the urgency in the need to arrest him about six weeks
to the election in which he is a candidate. He could have been invited
to report to the police on Monday. This desperation to haul him in is
beyond normal. 

“This same IGP who refused to honour the
invitation of the Senate for him to give information on the security
situation in the country and rushed to the court to seek protection of
his rights is now violating the rights of other people. In the same
manner, a senate resolution to the effect that his security personnel
that were withdrawn should be reinstated has not been obeyed.

“It has not gone without notice that
Senator Melaye is a member of the opposition. We cannot remember any
member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) being treated in
this manner. Even the one who allegedly led thugs to forcefully seize
the mace while senate was in session, in the full glare of television
cameras, is still roaming the streets free without prosecution”. 

‘Most partisan police boss in Nigeria’s history’

According to Saraki, Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris, has become the most partisan police boss in Nigeria’s history. 

 Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has been called most partisan police boss in Nigeria’s history by Saraki

“This method of digging out some old
charges and allegations to arrest and incarcerate political opponents
has presented this current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim
Kpotum Idris, as the most partisan head of the Nigerian Police ever in
the history of this country.

“We have continued to call on the security agencies to steer clear of partisanship and be professional in their activities.

“This
country is not a banana country. Nobody is saying the police should not
do their work in the prevention of crime and enforcement of laws.
However, a pattern of creating trumped up charges, implicating those who
have contrary views to the administration and employing crude tactics
under the pretext of enforcing laws is unacceptable to us. It is not
because Senator Melaye is the victim this time around. This should not
happen to any Nigerian. 

“We are disturbed that the administration
remains non-challant about this negative development by claiming that
these excesses and anti-democratic activities of the police are proper
and normal and that they do not want to interfere with the work of the
law enforcement agents, but we all know these oppressive tactics of the
police have something to do with the coming polls. 

 President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki and
Speaker Yakubu Dogara once belonged to same political party

“The police cannot act outside the law of
the land. They should not be infringing on the rights of people. They
should not be oppressing the people and they should not be adopting
extra-legal measures under the guise of enforcing law. They should
vacate Senator Melaye’s house immediately, release the innocent domestic
staff in his house who cannot be said to have committed any offence,
stop the interference with utility services in his house and ensure that
all their actions are within the ambit of the law”, Saraki stated.

The police says it is not going to vacate Melaye’s residence until the senator turns himself in for alleged culpable homicide and for shooting a police officer on patrol.