Suspects in Dino Melaye gun case escape from police custody

Police in Lokoja said on Wednesday that the two suspects that named Sen. Dino Melaye as the supplier of guns to them had escaped from custody.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ali Janga, disclosed this at a press conference in Lokoja.

Janga said that the two suspects, Kabiru Seidu alias Osama and Nuhu Salisu alias Small, escaped at about 3:21 a.m. at the A Police Division in Lokoja where they were being kept in lawful custody.

According to him, four other suspects escaped along with Seidu and Salisu, bringing the total number of fleeing suspects to six.

He said both Seidu and Salisu escaped on Wednesday when they were supposed to be arraigned before a Lokoja Federal High Court alongside Melaye and Mr Mohammed Audu who was also named by the suspects as their sponsor.

The commissioner identified Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed as four other suspects that escaped from custody.

He said that 13 policemen comprising five operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and eight conventional policemen on duty when the incident happened had been detained for interrogation.

“The 13 police officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were defaulted and detained for interrogation,” he said.

Janga also stated that the names of the six fleeing suspects and that of Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu had been sent for watch listing by the Interpol for immediate arrest anywhere they are found.

He appealed to residents to assist the police with useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects by reporting to the nearest police station.

The police enjoined members of the public to go about their lawful businesses as the command was in full control of the situation and determined to provide adequate security for lives and property.