Melaye: Police arrest six persons for aiding suspects’ escape

The police have arrested six persons for allegedly aiding the
escape of six suspects from police custody in Division ‘A’ Lokoja,
Kogi State, on Wednesday, last week.

Those arrested include John Beneche, 22, Seye Atowoju, 27,
Danjuma Yunusa, 35, Egga Ochai, 50, Abbas Haruna, 30, and Gloria
Audu, 28, sister to Emmanuel, one of the re-arrested prime suspects
in the Senator Dino Melaye’s arms case.

The force, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by its spokesman,
Jimoh Moshood, explained that the six suspects played criminal
roles in the escape of Kabiru Seidu (a.k.a. Osama), Nuhu Salisu
(a.k.a. Small), Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa
Mohammed.

Their escape led to the removal of the state Commissioner of
Police, Ali Janga, who was replaced by Sunday Ogbu. Thirteen other
police officers are also being detained over the incident and are
facing disciplinary action.

Seidu and Salisu had alleged that Melaye, representing the Kogi
West senatorial district in the National Assembly, gave them guns
and some money to disrupt the 2019 general elections.

The police said the six principal suspects and the accomplices
that aided their escape were re-arrested in different locations and
had been transferred to a detention centre in Abuja last
Saturday.

The statement explained that Beneche took four of the fugitives
to a hideout at Ganaja village, Lokoja, adding that Atowoju was
arrested in the process of relocating Seidu, Salisu, Mohammed and
Audu to another location to escape police re-arrest.

The police further stated that Yunusa accompanied the gang
leader, Seidu, to the house of one Egga Ochai by Waterside,
Lokoja.

“Ochai harboured Seidu in his house for two days and thereafter
went to the village of the principal suspect in the Dekina Local
Government Area and brought one Abbas Haruna (his Mallam) to
Lokoja.

“Haruna orchestrated his movement from Lokoja to his hometown in
the Tafa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State where both of
them were arrested,” the statement said.

It added that the only female suspect, Gloria, was nabbed for
harbouring Emmanuel, her brother, for some days to enable him to
escape arrest.

“All suspects will be arraigned in court for prosecution on
completion of investigation,” the police stated.

The police have arrested six persons for allegedly aiding the
escape of six suspects from police custody in Division ‘A’ Lokoja,
Kogi State, on Wednesday, last week.

Those arrested include John Beneche, 22, Seye Atowoju, 27,
Danjuma Yunusa, 35, Egga Ochai, 50, Abbas Haruna, 30, and Gloria
Audu, 28, sister to Emmanuel, one of the re-arrested prime suspects
in the Senator Dino Melaye’s arms case.

The force, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by its spokesman,
Jimoh Moshood, explained that the six suspects played criminal
roles in the escape of Kabiru Seidu (a.k.a. Osama), Nuhu Salisu
(a.k.a. Small), Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa
Mohammed.

Their escape led to the removal of the state Commissioner of
Police, Ali Janga, who was replaced by Sunday Ogbu. Thirteen other
police officers are also being detained over the incident and are
facing disciplinary action.

Seidu and Salisu had alleged that Melaye, representing the Kogi
West senatorial district in the National Assembly, gave them guns
and some money to disrupt the 2019 general elections.

The police said the six principal suspects and the accomplices
that aided their escape were re-arrested in different locations and
had been transferred to a detention centre in Abuja last
Saturday.

The statement explained that Beneche took four of the fugitives
to a hideout at Ganaja village, Lokoja, adding that Atowoju was
arrested in the process of relocating Seidu, Salisu, Mohammed and
Audu to another location to escape police re-arrest.

The police further stated that Yunusa accompanied the gang
leader, Seidu, to the house of one Egga Ochai by Waterside,
Lokoja.

“Ochai harboured Seidu in his house for two days and thereafter
went to the village of the principal suspect in the Dekina Local
Government Area and brought one Abbas Haruna (his Mallam) to
Lokoja.

“Haruna orchestrated his movement from Lokoja to his hometown in
the Tafa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State where both of
them were arrested,” the statement said.

It added that the only female suspect, Gloria, was nabbed for
harbouring Emmanuel, her brother, for some days to enable him to
escape arrest.

“All suspects will be arraigned in court for prosecution on
completion of investigation,” the police stated.