The political drama in Kogi State involving Governor Yahaya Bello, Senator Dino Melaye and the police assumed an uglier dimension of accusations and counter accusations last week, making the state look like the theatre of the absurd. The drama climaxed when some suspects that had named Senator Dino Melaye as the man who supplied them with arms and money, sensationally escaped from police custody the night before they were to appear in court.
According to Nigeria Police spokesman ACP Jimoh Moshood, the suspects Kabiru Seidu and Nuhu Salisu indicted Senator Melaye and Mohammed Audu in a case of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms already filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja. Six suspects escaped including these two. The escape saga was preceded by others such as the attempt to recall Senator Melaye, said to be orchestrated by the governor and the attack on Melaye in his constituency where he said assassins were to kill him. Then the police recently said he gave false information.
On his part Melaye accused Governor Yahaya Bello of illegal importation of restricted military gadgets as well as introducing state police. The latest twist in this drama was the escape of these suspects that fingered Melaye. Their escape from custody is shocking, to say the least, and it shows the length politicians and other people with influence can go to connive with security agents to aid criminals. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris promptly removed Kogi State Commissioner of Police Ali Janga, commendable action. Janga was replaced by Esa Sunday Ogbu, who was Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The police spokesman said those implicated for negligence, dereliction of duty and gross misconduct in the six suspects’ escape were also transferred out of the state and would face disciplinary action. The former Kogi State Compol Ali Janga explained shortly before his removal that there was “connivance” by twelve policemen who were on guard duty at the time of the escape. He said, “We had about twelve policemen on guard duty. Five SARS operatives and seven conventional policemen have been rounded up and will be investigated. I was there myself; the padlock of the exhibit room through which the suspects escaped was opened. And they used hammers, nail cutter and shovel to hit the iron bar of the window and bent it and removed one of the blocks.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday interrogated former Governor of Akwa Ibom State Godswill Akpabio over allegation of financial crimes. Daily Trust gathered that Akpabio honoured the invitation by the anti-graft agency to explain allegations of looting of the state’s funds during his tenure. Sources told our correspondent that Senator Akpabio was being interrogated late yesterday evening at the Abuja head offices of the Commission. He was spotted at the EFFC office in company of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, at about 5:20pm. Akpabio’s arrest yesterday is fallout of the petition by an Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Leo Ekpenyong, who had on June 8 this year petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC, calling for Senator Akpabio’s probe and accusing him of looting. The petitioner had earlier on Wednesday adopted his petition and provided more details to the anti-graft agency on the allegations against the minority leader of People...
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