Police re-arrest two principal suspects in Dino Melaye’s case, five others

Tue, Apr 3, 2018 | By publisher


Crime

THE Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday, April 3, announced the re-arrest of two principal suspects who confession indicted Dino Melaye, a senator representing Kogi State, one suspected armed robber and four other suspects that escaped from custody at a Police station in Kogi State on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

According to a press release signed by Jimoh Moshood, assistant commissioner of Police and Police public relations officer, the re-arrest was effected following intense raids, cordon and search operations carried out by Police in some identified criminal hideouts and black spots in Kogi State.

Among those arrested are Kabiru Seidu aka Osama and Nuhu Salisu aka Small, whose confession indicted Melaye and Mohammed Audu in a case of conspiracy and unlawful possession of firearms. The case is already in court and both Seidu and Salisu being principal suspects were to appear  in court on Wednesday, March 28, when the Kogi State Police command announced the escape from lawful custody of six suspects including the two  principal suspects.

“Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni, ordered the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team and Special Tactical Squad, Personnel of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department to move to Kogi State and carryout discreet investigation into the escape and re-arrest the escaped suspects and bring all those involved to justice,” Moshood said.

Efforts by the Police eventually paid off as the Police Team has now re-arrested the two suspects and other robbers. Seidu, 31, was rearrested in Tafa Balewa Local Government Area in Bauchi State, while Salisu, 25, was rearrested in Ganaja Village, Lokoja State.

The PPRO said of the two: “It would be recalled that working on actionable intelligence, the Kogi State Police Command personnel and Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad trailed and arrested the two suspects listed above after a gun battle with the Police team that lasted for some hours on the 19th January, 2018 at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. During investigation, they confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of several kidnappings and Armed Robbery in different towns across Kogi State and its environs for which they have been on the wanted list of the Police for more than two years now.

“The gang leader Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama revealed that he and his gang have been working as a Political Thug for one Alh. Mohammed Audu a Politician in the State and that Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Dino Melaye’s Car in the month of December, 2017.

“Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama “31 yrs” had earlier confessed after he was arrested the first time to the Police investigative team that Senator Dino Melaye handed over a bag containing the following firearms one (1) AK47 rifle, two (2) Pump Action guns and the sum of four hundred and thirty thousand naira N430,000.00 to share with his boys. The Police conducted investigation into the criminal indictments against Sen. Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu and discovered that the two (2) of them have case to answer. The two (2) suspects namely; Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama and Nuhu Salisu a.k.a Small were paraded at the Kogi State Command Headquarters, Lokoja on 19th March, 2018.”

Besides, he said the suspects who played various criminal roles in the escape of the six  suspects and their suspected criminal accomplices were also arrested and would be prosecuted along with the principal suspects in court.

He listed their names as Musa Mohammed a.k.a Iko, 27yrs, one of the escapee rearrested who was earlier arrested for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery; Emmanuel Audu, 26yrs, one of the escapee also rearrested who was earlier arrested for criminal conspiracy and armed robbery; John Beneche, 22, carried four  of the escaped suspects; Seye Atowoju, 27, who was arrested in the process of relocating four of the escaped suspects, namely Saidu Salisu, Mohammed and Audu from their criminal hideout at Ganaja Village, Lokoja to another location to escape police re-arrest.

Also arrested were Danjuma Yunusa a.k.a O2, 35, who accompanied Saidu to the house of one Egga Ochai by water side, Lokoja;  Egga Ochai, 50, who harboured Saidu in his house for two  days and thereafter went to the village of the principal suspect in Dekina Local Government and brought one Abbas Haruna (His Mallam) to Lokoja; Abbas Haruna, 30, the Mallam of  Saidu and Gloria Audu,  28, who is the sister to Audu. She allegedly harboured his brother for some days to enable him escape Police arrest.

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

– Apr. 3, 2018 @ 18:25 GMT

AE

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