Leave me out of your problem, Yahaya Bello tells Melaye

Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, has asked Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, to leave him out of his ordeal with the police.

Melaye had accused the governor of working with the police to destroy him.

Reacting through Kingsley Fanwo, his spokesman, the governor denied being involved in the travails of Melaye.

“He should face the issue and leave the governor out of the issues surrounding his face off with the police,” Fanwo said in a statement.

“The governor is a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria who would not involve himself in such criminality, home or abroad. No organisation has ever indicted the governor of such crime. He has respect for human life.”

He said the issues were not as complex as the senator wanted the world to believe, advising him to meet with the police and give his own side of the story.

Fanwo said: “What has the governor got to do with that? Criminals were nabbed by the police and those criminals disclosed the persons behind the supply of arms to them.

“The simple thing to do here is for him to prove his case and leave the governor out of it. On our part as a government, we are pleased that our anti-crime efforts are yielding fruits.

“ Yahaya Bello is committed to ensuring the safety of all Kogi residents. That is his primary responsibility to the people of the state.

“He has also commended the police for arresting criminals that were disturbing the peace of the state. Dino should rather face the law. The governor has nothing to do with his travails.”

The police had said they arrested two political thugs working for Melaye. They said two AK 47 rifles, five pump-action guns and a heap of charms were recovered from them.

The force has threatened to declare the senator wanted if he fails to appear at its Kogi command on Wednesday, March 28.