Senate president Bukola Saraki has described the Friday, December 28, police invasion of the Abuja home of Senator Dino Melaye as another instance of the police being used to suppress the rights of the citizenry and silencing people with opposing views to government.
Saraki in a statement issued on Saturday, December 29, by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said it is unacceptable for the police to invade the residence of a lawmaker, interfere with his electricity and water supply, beat up and cuff his domestic staff and disturb the peace of his neighbours for an offence allegedly committed in July.
The Senate president also faulted the timing of the invasion and described the ‘desperate attempt’ to arrest the senator as suspicious more so when Melaye had raised the alarm a few days before his house was invaded that there was an attempt by the police to get hold of him and inflict injury on his person.
His words: “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 has no reason to run away from the country. He was also present in the Senate for plenary, committee meetings and oversight functions till the Senate went on recess on December 20, 2018.
”Though the police in their statement claim that there was a request to the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) inviting Senator Melaye to report to the police, my enquiry from the CNA showed that he had no such letter.
“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“In the same manner, a Senate resolution to the effect that his security personnel that were withdrawn should be reinstated has not been obeyed.
“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.”
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