Melaye never evaded arrest – 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 reporter recalls 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.

NAN

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 reporter recalls 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.

NAN