TheCable

Gunmen invaded the Kogi residence of Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, in the early hours of Saturday.

According to NAN, the gunmen numbering about 10 arrived at the house in Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu local government area of the state through the bush and opened fire from different directions.

The house was riddled with bullets while two of the vehicles parked in the estate were damaged.

Melaye was in his country home for the Easter holiday at the time of the attack.

William Aya, police public relations officer in the state, told NAN that the police received a distress call from the senator at about 1am and immediately responded.

He said the suspects escaped before the police arrived, thereby making arrest impossible.

Aya said Wilson Inalegwu, the commissioner of police, had set up an investigative committee headed by the deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations to unravel those behind the attack.

On his part, Melaye said the attackers arrived at about midnight and started shooting sporadically at the main building in the compound.

He said the shooting lasted for almost one hour, revealing that apart from the building riddled with bullets, two of his vehicles were damaged.

The senator said he suspected Taufiq Isa, administrator of Ijumu local government, as being behind the attack.

Isa has since denied the accusation.

“I’ve never been a violent man. My running battle with Dino Melaye, if any, is because I have asked him to stop vilifying the state governor, Yahaya Bello,” he said.

“Let him (Dino) prove it. I lost my uncle a week ago; I’m still attending to my sick wife and busy supervising the APC re- registration programmes.

“I’m a democrat and law abiding. I challenge Dino to prove his case.”

Melaye said the attack was most likely due to his incessant verbal attacks on certain elements in the state.

“I got a rousing welcome from Kabba to my hometown on Friday and I know it angered the power that is in the state, which mobilised for this assassination attempt on my life,” he said.

“At about midnight, we started hearing gunshots. They fired more than 200 rounds of bullets into the house. This attempt to kill me will not stop me from speaking the truth.

“If I speak the truth, I will die, if I lie, I will die. I’ve decided to speak the truth and die. I’m not afraid of death. I only respect men, I don’t fear them.

“I am championing an administrative cause. I will continue to speak and be the voice to the voiceless. I’m not deterred; I remain resolute to make Kogi better. Noting will stop me from coming home.”

Melaye also chided the police for not responding quickly to his distress call, saying that the house of the divisional police officer in the town was very close to the scene of the shooting.

“The DPO did not come to my house until three hours later. Even the area commander in Kabba was not notified until I called the commissioner of police,” he said.

“I suspect a satanic collaboration between Taufiq Isa and the police in Ayetoro because the duo held a meeting two days ago.

“Only God will protect us in this country, but definitely not the police.”