Melaye never evaded arrest, says media aide

Mr Gideon Ayodele, the Special Adviser (Media) to embattled senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sen. Dino Melaye, said the lawmaker never evaded arrest
by the police.

Ayodele in statement in Abuja on Tuesday said: “for the avoidance of doubt, Sen. Melaye had never evaded police invitation before now because there was none extended to him in the first place.

“Rather, what the Police Force Public Relations Officer Mr Jimoh Moshood had been doing was to summon the senator through media briefings, a practice unconventional.”

Our correspondent reports that the Nigeria Police had on Monday laid siege at residence of the lawmaker.

However, a statement earlier on Tuesday quoted the police as saying that Melaye as law-abiding citizen voluntarily submitted himself to operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who laid siege to his private residence since around 3.35 p.m. of Monday, April 23, 2018.

The statement added that “he (Melaye), along with his lawyers and personal aides, were driven in his private car to the SARS office in Guzape district of Abuja, among numerous police vehicles earlier deployed to his house.

“With the media hype the whole saga generated especially his unwarranted travails in the hands of Immigration officials at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Monday and the attendant but dramatic police siege to his private residence thereafter, it became necessary for Melaye to end the drama, hence his choice to appear before the police.”

Melaye’s aide said “we are constrained to make the record straight sequel to avalanche of calls by well-meaning Nigerians and supporters.