Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki |
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the
invasion of the Abuja home of Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi
West Senatorial District, as another instance of police being used to
suppress the rights of the citizenry and silencing people with opposing
views to the current administration.
Saraki in a statement on Saturday signed by his Special Adviser
(Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that a situation where
the police invaded the home of a Nigerian lawmaker, interfered with the
supply of electricity and water to the house, beat up and cuffed his
domestic staff and disturbed the peace of his neighbours by claiming he
allegedly committed an offence in July was unacceptable.
He said the timing of the invasion and the desperate attempt to
arrest the Senator is suspicious as the man had raised an 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, an
allegation that was denied by the police.
“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.
“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 camera, is still roaming the
streets free without prosecution.
“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.
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