by Kingseyi Fri Jul 20, 2018 3:24 amThe Kogi State Police Command has denied
report by Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi
west district at the National Assembly, Thursday,
that unknown gunmen in uniform (police,SARS
and military) fired gun shots at the vehicle just
as its asked the Senator and the people in his
convoy to report to the office of the Deputy
Commissioner of Police, State Criminal
Intelligence and Investigation Department,
Lokoja.
Sen. Dino Melaye
Senator Dino Melaye had tweeted that he
thanked God for sparing his life once again as
over 20 bullets holes were on his jeep and
alleging that a combination of police, SARS and
military were the one responsible for the bullets
holes.
Senator Dino Melaye
@dino_melaye
I thank God for spearing my life once again. O
20 bullets holes on my jeep. Combination of
police,SARS and military. God i thank you.
6:53 PM - Jul 19, 2018
1,548 1,347 people are talking about
But the Kogi State Police Command in a
statement signed by the Public Relations Officer,
DSP William Ovye Aya, said that it was
saddening that Senator Dino could turn around
the issue misleading and covering up the
heinous crime committed by his hired aides
who launched a lethal attack on police officers
in the course of their normal duty.
Putting the records straight the Kogi Police said
that on ‘Thursday at about 1530hours, a team of
policemen from the Command was on a routine
Anti – Robbery/Kidnapping patrol along Aiyetoro
Gbede – Mopa Road and during the patrol, and
as it is often the practice, the team pinned down
at a point at Iyah Gbede Junction, where they
were observing the highway and occasionally
conducting Stop and Search.
‘It was in this process a long convoy of vehicles
coming from Mopa towards Aiyetoro Gbede
approached the Point.
‘Officers of the Command at the Point flagged
down the convoy. While the lead vehicle, a
Toyota Hilux van, which was later discovered to
be conveying officers of the Nigerian Security
and Civil Defense Corps, stopped to introduce
themselves, other vehicles in the convoy
dangerously zoomed off without regards for the
safety of the officers on ground.
The Police further said that ‘surprisingly, some
plain clothed armed men, occupying a white
Toyota Hilux van, without registration numbers,
without provocation fired gunshots at the officers
of the Anti-Robbery /Kidnapping Patrol Team.
‘One of the officers, a Sergeant, was hit by bullet
on the right part of his chest as a result of
which he sustained grievous injury.
‘The Officer is currently lying critically ill in the
hospital where he has undergone a live
threatening and currently recuperating.
‘Expectedly, the policemen in self defense
responded by firing back to repel the
unexpected attack. Vehicles in the convoy
nevertheless, drove away from the scene.
‘It was not until the officers of the Nigerian
Security and Civil Defense Corps were
questioned that it was realized that the convoy
was that of Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye.
The police said it was ‘rather unfortunate that
Senator Dino could after this dastardly act by his
aides, be going around with armed men,
unknown to the Command who could launch
such a lethal attack on police officers in the
course of their normal duty. It is more
saddening that the Senator could turn around to
issue misleading statements to cover up the
heinous crime committed by his hired aides.
‘While, the command has instituted a high
powered investigation panel into the incident
Distinguished Senator Melaye is hereby advised
to report with people in his convoy to the office
of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State
Criminal Intelligence and Investigation
Department, Lokoja to assist in the investigation’
In another development suspected political
thugs on Wednesday destroyed some
constituency projects of Senator Dino at two
Locations in Lokoja metropolis, few hours to
their inauguration.
One of the projects, a block of four furnished
classrooms at Government Girls Secondary
School, Sarkin-Noma, was torched in the early
hours of Wednesday.
Speaking with newsmen, a female student of the
school (name withheld) said she got to school
early this morning (Wednesday) to meet the
fully-furnished classroom on fire.
She said students, who were in the last week of
their final examinations, were turned back as a
result of the incident as chairs, desks, boards
and all wooden furniture, as well as electrical
appliances, were burnt to ashes.
Also at UBE Junior Secondary School (JSS),
Lokongoma in Lokoja, the iron windows,
ceilings, white boards and electrical fittings,
including ceiling fans in the block of four
classrooms, were destroyed.
When visited , a detachment of men of the
Nigeria Police were seen in and around the
school premises to provide security against
further attack on the project.
The attack on the (Sen. Dino Melaye
Constituency Project FCT/TB/2016(2)001)
Lokongoma project, was said to have been
carried out at about 2:30 am Wednesday by
unknown group of youthful thugs, forcing the
civilian security guards to run for their lives.
Speaking on behalf of the government when he
visited the site of the burnt facilities, Mr Kingsley
Fanwo, Director General, Media and Publicity to
the state governor, said state government had
directed security operatives to fish out the
arsonists.
“Irrespective of who is doing the project, the
fund is from the government; weather it is the
executive or legislature, such projects should
rather be applauded, and not destroyed,” he
said.
Mrs Rosemary Osinkoya, the state
Commissioner for Education, who also visited
the sites, said government would not rest until
the perpetrators were fished out and brought to
book.
“Exams are ongoing and these building has
been in use since January 2018. We expect that
people will respect the sanctity of education.
This act is masterminded and not accidental”,
she said.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after inspecting
the extent of damage on the facilities, Deputy
Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr
Monday Kuryas, said the long arm of the law
would catch up with the perpetrators, sooner or
later.
He said the arson and other destruction were
pre-meditated as the arsonists braced with tyres
which they used in burning down the building
and damaging some other structures.
Kuryas said the police had commenced
investigation into the matter and would soon
apprehend the perpetrators.
It was gathered that a faceless thuggery group
had on Tuesday issued leaflets warning the
senator to forget about the scheduled
constituency projects inauguration or face their
wrath.
report by Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi
west district at the National Assembly, Thursday,
that unknown gunmen in uniform (police,SARS
and military) fired gun shots at the vehicle just
as its asked the Senator and the people in his
convoy to report to the office of the Deputy
Commissioner of Police, State Criminal
Intelligence and Investigation Department,
Lokoja.
Sen. Dino Melaye
Senator Dino Melaye had tweeted that he
thanked God for sparing his life once again as
over 20 bullets holes were on his jeep and
alleging that a combination of police, SARS and
military were the one responsible for the bullets
holes.
Senator Dino Melaye
@dino_melaye
I thank God for spearing my life once again. O
20 bullets holes on my jeep. Combination of
police,SARS and military. God i thank you.
6:53 PM - Jul 19, 2018
1,548 1,347 people are talking about
But the Kogi State Police Command in a
statement signed by the Public Relations Officer,
DSP William Ovye Aya, said that it was
saddening that Senator Dino could turn around
the issue misleading and covering up the
heinous crime committed by his hired aides
who launched a lethal attack on police officers
in the course of their normal duty.
Putting the records straight the Kogi Police said
that on ‘Thursday at about 1530hours, a team of
policemen from the Command was on a routine
Anti – Robbery/Kidnapping patrol along Aiyetoro
Gbede – Mopa Road and during the patrol, and
as it is often the practice, the team pinned down
at a point at Iyah Gbede Junction, where they
were observing the highway and occasionally
conducting Stop and Search.
‘It was in this process a long convoy of vehicles
coming from Mopa towards Aiyetoro Gbede
approached the Point.
‘Officers of the Command at the Point flagged
down the convoy. While the lead vehicle, a
Toyota Hilux van, which was later discovered to
be conveying officers of the Nigerian Security
and Civil Defense Corps, stopped to introduce
themselves, other vehicles in the convoy
dangerously zoomed off without regards for the
safety of the officers on ground.
The Police further said that ‘surprisingly, some
plain clothed armed men, occupying a white
Toyota Hilux van, without registration numbers,
without provocation fired gunshots at the officers
of the Anti-Robbery /Kidnapping Patrol Team.
‘One of the officers, a Sergeant, was hit by bullet
on the right part of his chest as a result of
which he sustained grievous injury.
‘The Officer is currently lying critically ill in the
hospital where he has undergone a live
threatening and currently recuperating.
‘Expectedly, the policemen in self defense
responded by firing back to repel the
unexpected attack. Vehicles in the convoy
nevertheless, drove away from the scene.
‘It was not until the officers of the Nigerian
Security and Civil Defense Corps were
questioned that it was realized that the convoy
was that of Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye.
The police said it was ‘rather unfortunate that
Senator Dino could after this dastardly act by his
aides, be going around with armed men,
unknown to the Command who could launch
such a lethal attack on police officers in the
course of their normal duty. It is more
saddening that the Senator could turn around to
issue misleading statements to cover up the
heinous crime committed by his hired aides.
‘While, the command has instituted a high
powered investigation panel into the incident
Distinguished Senator Melaye is hereby advised
to report with people in his convoy to the office
of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State
Criminal Intelligence and Investigation
Department, Lokoja to assist in the investigation’
In another development suspected political
thugs on Wednesday destroyed some
constituency projects of Senator Dino at two
Locations in Lokoja metropolis, few hours to
their inauguration.
One of the projects, a block of four furnished
classrooms at Government Girls Secondary
School, Sarkin-Noma, was torched in the early
hours of Wednesday.
Speaking with newsmen, a female student of the
school (name withheld) said she got to school
early this morning (Wednesday) to meet the
fully-furnished classroom on fire.
She said students, who were in the last week of
their final examinations, were turned back as a
result of the incident as chairs, desks, boards
and all wooden furniture, as well as electrical
appliances, were burnt to ashes.
Also at UBE Junior Secondary School (JSS),
Lokongoma in Lokoja, the iron windows,
ceilings, white boards and electrical fittings,
including ceiling fans in the block of four
classrooms, were destroyed.
When visited , a detachment of men of the
Nigeria Police were seen in and around the
school premises to provide security against
further attack on the project.
The attack on the (Sen. Dino Melaye
Constituency Project FCT/TB/2016(2)001)
Lokongoma project, was said to have been
carried out at about 2:30 am Wednesday by
unknown group of youthful thugs, forcing the
civilian security guards to run for their lives.
Speaking on behalf of the government when he
visited the site of the burnt facilities, Mr Kingsley
Fanwo, Director General, Media and Publicity to
the state governor, said state government had
directed security operatives to fish out the
arsonists.
“Irrespective of who is doing the project, the
fund is from the government; weather it is the
executive or legislature, such projects should
rather be applauded, and not destroyed,” he
said.
Mrs Rosemary Osinkoya, the state
Commissioner for Education, who also visited
the sites, said government would not rest until
the perpetrators were fished out and brought to
book.
“Exams are ongoing and these building has
been in use since January 2018. We expect that
people will respect the sanctity of education.
This act is masterminded and not accidental”,
she said.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after inspecting
the extent of damage on the facilities, Deputy
Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr
Monday Kuryas, said the long arm of the law
would catch up with the perpetrators, sooner or
later.
He said the arson and other destruction were
pre-meditated as the arsonists braced with tyres
which they used in burning down the building
and damaging some other structures.
Kuryas said the police had commenced
investigation into the matter and would soon
apprehend the perpetrators.
It was gathered that a faceless thuggery group
had on Tuesday issued leaflets warning the
senator to forget about the scheduled
constituency projects inauguration or face their
wrath.
