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.

“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.

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 In the same manner, a senate resolution to the effect that his security personnel that were withdrawn should be reinstated has not been obeyed.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. 

“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. 

“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.