Force Headquarters (FHQ) yesterday accused the senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Mr. Dino Melaye, of engaging in ‘hate speech and hateful conduct.’ It will be recalled that Melaye had alleged plans by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to order his arrest and subsequent killing. “There is a plan by the IG to arrest me today (Tuesday) and inject me to death. Men deployed already. CP Kogi and others removed. Nigerians watch out,” Melaye was quoted to have said. But the Force Headquarters had since denied the claim, describing the statement as ‘mischievous’ and ‘misleading.’
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Jimoh Moshood, an acting deputy commissioner of police, advised the lawmaker to surrender himself to the law, if he had committed any crime. “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a statement in some sections of the media credited to a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Kogi West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye, captioned; “IG plans to arrest me, inject me to death.
“The Force is categorically stating that the statement is mischievous, malicious, capable of misleading the public and laughable, there was no such order from the Inspector- General of Police or any plan by the Force to arrest Senator Dino Melaye and inject him to death, but if the senator knows he had committed any crime or he is aware of his involvement in any crime, he should come out and confess and face the legal consequences instead of whipping up sentiments to distract the public.
“The Force sees such defamatory, mischievous, malicious and reckless statement by Senator Dino Melaye as untrue, ridiculous, mischievous and unfortunate. Members of the public are hereby enjoined to disregard and discountenance the statement by Senator Dino Melaye in its entirety as untrue and mischievous,” Moshood said.