Armed policemen lay siege to Melaye’s Abuja residence

Some armed mobile policemen yesterday besieged the streets leading to the Abuja residence of Senator Dino Melaye who represents Kogi West in the National Assembly.

The residence on 11 Sangha Street, off Mississippi, Maitama, Abuja was completely taken over by the fierce looking police officers.

At the time of filing this report, the security operatives who went there with some Toyota Hilux operations vehicles cordoned had off the street.

Melaye had raised alarm a few days ago over alleged attempt by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to arrest, detain and inject to death. But the Police authority has since dismissed the allegation.

The senator, who is one of the spokesmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign council, has had a running battle with the Police, a development that resulted in his arrest last April.

The police had equally filed a case in a Lokoja court accusing him and three other persons of illegal possession of firearms.

However, the PDP has condemned the invasion of the residence of Melaye, who is its Presidential Campaign Director of Civil Societies.

The party said it rejects the Gestapo-like attack on the Senator residence and demands that the invading security officials vacate the premises immediately.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “It is devious of the Nigeria Police, which had distanced itself from the alleged plot to arrest and assassinate Melaye a few days ago, to turn round to invade his residence, holding him hostage and beating up his domestic aides.

“This invasion is part of the larger machination by the Muhammadu Buhari’s government to use state apparatus of power, particularly the police under Idris to harass, intimidate and clamp down on opposition members in a bid to create fear and subjugate the opposition ahead of the 2019 general elections.”

The party berated the series of attacks and harassment on PDP leaders, including the airport attack on its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by security officials, noting the development was a clear recipe for anarchy and political crisis capable of destabilising the country.

It cautioned the Buhari administration to desist from such provocative acts adding: “Such cannot bend Nigerians’ resolve to replace him with Atiku as their next President come February 16, 2018.”