I’m not in Abuja, says Melaye

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, says he is not in Abuja.

Melaye said this while reacting to the siege which the police laid to his Abuja residence on Friday.

TheCable had reported that at least 30 policemen stormed his residence in a bid to arrest him.

But in a telephone conversation with some reporters, Melaye said he was monitoring developments at his residence through a surveillance camera.

He vowed not to succumb to intimidation, saying there were attempts to cow him into silence.

Melaye said the Kogi state government was behind the police operation.

“I am outside Abuja right now, I was told that they laid siege to my house. My staff domestic staff have been beaten up and arrested. This is what I have been crying out about,” he said.

“There is a deliberate attempt by the Kogi state government to kill me, to destroy me. I have written the inspector-general of police (IGP). My international passport is with the Nigerian police, I have a court order that it should be released to me but the IG has refused to honour the court order.

“If the police that is supposed to maintain law and order cannot obey court order, how do they expect citizens to obey court orders? As I speak to you, my security detail has been withdrawn since April and it is all in a deliberate attempt to expose me, so that I will be killed and destroyed.”

He said his security detail has not been restored despite a resolution by the senate asking the police to do so.

“The same SARS from Kogi that shot at me are the same SARS in the photograph occupying my compound and 80 percent in mufti. I thought that recently that there was an instruction that SARS should wear uniform,” Melaye said.

“If there is a proper invitation in Abuja, not in Kogi, I will honour it. Already the police have arraigned me seven times. I am in seven different courts and anyone that they will do will be number eight. I’m not afraid to be arraigned because my hands are clean and I know the God I serve will deliver me.”

He said he would not be coerced to support anybody.

“We will take up these. Unfortunately for them there are surveillance camera everywhere on that street,” Melaye said.