The police threatened yesterday to declare Senator Dino Melaye and Alh. Mohammed Audu wanted should they refuse to comply with an order of the court.
Melaye and Audu are expected to appear before the Federal High Court, Lokoja on March 28, 2018 to answer to the criminal charges against them.
The police also said the duo’s refusal to appear will make them seek a Warrant of Arrest for them and declare them wanted throughout the country and on INTERPOL platform.
Force Spokesman, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that a suspect, Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama had confessed to the Police investigative team that Senator Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the sum of N430,000.00 for him to share with his boys.
The confession prompted the police to invite the senator for questioning but the police said Melaye and Audu have refused to honour their invitation despite several attempts.
Moshood said: “Working on actionable intelligence, the Kogi State Police Command personnel and operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad trailed and arrested two suspects, Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama “31 YRS” From Dekina LGA but based in Anyagba (Leader of the gang) and Nuhu Salisu a.k.a Small “25 YRS” (a member of the gang), after a gun battle with the Police team that lasted for some hours on the 19th January, 2018 at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“During investigation, they confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of several kidnappings and armed robbery, murder and other violent crimes in different parts of Kogi State for which they have been on the wanted list of the Police for more than two years now.
“The gang leader KABIRU SAIDU revealed that he and his gang have been working as a political thug for one Alh. Mohammed Audu a politician in the state and that Alh. 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.
“Saidu further confessed to the Police investigative team that Senator Dino Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the sum ofN430,000.00 to share with his boys.
“The Police conducted investigation into the criminal indictment against Sen. Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu and discovered that the two (2) of them have case to answer.
“The two suspects namely; KABIRU SAIDU a.k.a OSAMA and NUHU SALISU a.k.a SMALL were paraded at the Kogi State Command Headquarters, Lokoja on 19th March, 2018.”
The statement further reads: “It will be recalled that consequent on the confession of criminal offences indicting Senator Dino Melaye by the principal suspect KABIRU SAIDU a.k.a OSAMA “31 YRS”, The Nigeria Police Force, sent a letter of investigation activities/invitation dated 2nd March, 2018 addressed to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria informing and requesting him to release Senator Dino Melaye to report to Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command on the 7th March, 2018 to answer to criminal offences of Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms levelled against him, this is to enable the Police Investigation Team carryout a discreet and thorough investigation into the case. But Senator Dino Melaye refused to honour the Police invitation.
“Based on evidence gathered so far in the matter, a case of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms was filed by the Nigeria Police Force at Federal High Court Lokoja on 16th March, 2018 against the two principal suspects; Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama, Nuhu Salisu a.k.a Small; Senator Dino Melaye and Alh. Mohammed Audu. But Senator Dino Melaye and Alh. Mohammed Audu refused to appear in court on Tuesday, 20th March, 2018 when the trial was supposed to commence.”
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