The police have accused the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, of sponsoring and arming political thugs in his state.
According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer Mr Jimoh Moshood, the police arrested two suspects who confessed to the various criminal roles they played in committing several kidnappings and armed robbery in different towns across the state.
Moshood revealed that the suspects, who have been on the wanted list for more than two years, were nabbed after a gun battle with police personnel that lasted for hours on January 19, 2018, in Dekina Local Government Area of the state.
He added that the suspects confessed during interrogation that they were political thugs recruited by some mischievous politicians in the state to cause mayhem, disruption of peace, and destruction of lives and property.
On how the suspects were linked to Senator Melaye, the police spokesman said: “According to the gang leader Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama “31 YRS”, he has been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu – a politician in the state.
“He said Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Dino Melaye’s car in the month of December 2017.
“The suspect further confessed that, Senator Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train more other thugs to work for him in preparation toward 2019 general elections to enable him (Senator Dino Melaye) challenge his political opponents and disorganise Kogi State.”
Saidu was also said to have confessed that the senator handed over a bag containing one AK-47 rifle, two pump action guns, and the sum of N430,000, to share with his boys.
Following the purported indictments and criminal confessions, the police claimed to have written to the Senate President and urged him to release Senator Melaye to respond to the allegations against him.
They noted that while the request was to enable the force to carry out a discreet investigation into the claims made by the suspect, the lawmaker refused to honour the invitation.
Moshood, however, said the police have filed a case of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms against Senator Melaye and others.
Reacting to the allegations, Senator Dino Melaye said it was “framed up and an orchestrated attempt” by the state government to discredited him.”
The senator said he had never seen the suspects in his life and did not have anything to do with them.
Melaye said the move was an attempt by the Kogi state government muzzle him from speaking the truth about governance in the state.
According to him, he contested and won election to the House of Representatives and the senate without working with political thugs, saying the plan had been exposed about six weeks ago.
“This is an attempt to shut me up and stop me from speaking the truth but they have failed, it is an orchestrated lie by the governor and the police, in have tweeted about six weeks ago that they want to set me up because I got an Intel from government house when they met to set me up
“You can see the conflicting statements by the criminals, I heard one said I gave two AK47 and pump action, while the other said I gave only one rifle and that I gave N430,000 to train militia, and that I met them in airport road in December 2017 but they didn’t give a date and time.
“I don’t know anybody I have not involved myself with any thugs since I became member house of representatives and senate. If this is an attempt to shut me up, they have failed”, Dino said.
