Court rejects Dino Melaye’s request to order police out of residence

With the Police siege of Senator Dino Melaye’s house entering a week, a Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the senator’s request for the officers to leave his residence and cease further attempts for his arrest.

The senator representing Kogi West Senatorial district filed an ex-parte application pleading with the court to remove the blockade in front of the residence and allow his family and political associates to have access to him.

He also asked the court to enforce his fundamental rights.

Melaye requested an order from the court to stop the police from further threatening his life pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The senator also sought the order of the court restraining the police from arresting him, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Melaye filed the applications through his lawyer, Nkem Okoro of the Mike Ozekhome (SAN) chambers.

The judge, Justice N. E. Maha, refused the application but ordered that the substantive suit be granted an accelerated hearing.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to January 14.

She said the case file would be transferred to the Chief Judge for re-assignment because her leave to seat as a vacation judge would elapse on January 4.

The Nigeria Police have vowed to continue the siege until the senator surrenders himself for arrest and investigation.

According to the police, Melaye is wanted for “Criminal Conspiracy and Attempted Culpable Homicide, committed on 19th July, 2018.”

They claim that Melaye and “his armed thugs attacked Police personnel; shot and wounded Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.”