Gunmen invade Melaye’s house

The senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, on
Saturday claimed to have escaped an assassination
attempt when gunmen fired shots at his Ayetoro-
Gbede country home in Ijumu Local Government
Area of Kogi State.
Two vehicles , including a pickup truck in the
senator’ s compound , were destroyed.
Speaking to journalists , Melaye, who is the Chairman
of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital
Territory, said the assailants came at midnight and
began shooting sporadically .
According to the senator, the shooting continued for
over one hour .
Melaye, while accusing the Chairman of Ijumu Local
Government Area , Taofiq Isa , of being the
mastermind of the attack, said the shooting was
because of his criticism of the state government .
He said , “ I got a rousing welcome from Kabba to my
hometown on Friday and I know it angered the
powers that be in the state , which the assassination
attempt on my life.
“ 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 ;
and 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 .
“ This attempt is being championed by the chairman
of my local government . He has said it many times
that he will do everything to stop me from coming
home . Besides, those assailants, when leaving , were
chanting , ‘ We will know if it ’ s Taofiq or Melaye that
owns the land.’”
Melaye, who was at the centre of a certificate scandal
last month, said further , “ Even the area command in
Kabba was not notified until I called the
commissioner of police. I suspect a satanic
collaboration between Taofiq and the police in
Aiyetoro because the duo had a meeting two days
ago .”
However , Isa denied any involvement in the alleged
assassination attempt, adding that he has been busy
attending to his sick wife.
Isa said, “ I’ ve never been a violent man . My running
battle with Melaye, if any , is because I have asked
him to stop vilifying the state governor , Yahaya
Bello.
“ Let him (Melaye) prove it . I lost my uncle a week
ago , I ’ m still tending to my sick wife and I’ m busy
supervising the All Progressives Congress re -
registration programmes . I’ m a democrat and law -
abiding. I challenge him to prove his claims.”
In a similar vein , the state Police Public Relations
Officer , William Aya, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the
Deputy Commissioner of Police ( Crime) had been
mandated to investigate the shooting .