Senate summons IGP over Melaye’s arrest

The Nigerian Senate Wednesday summoned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over the way the arrest of Senator Dino Melaye was handled.

Melaye was arrested on Tuesday in Abuja weeks after he was declared wanted and placed on INTERPOL watchlist. The police said the senator had a case to answer after being indicted by two suspected criminals paraded by the Force Headquarters in March.

“It is important for the IGP to come and brief us,” Senate President Bukola Saraki said during on Wednesday.

“I have tried so many times to find out what the situation is, & this kind of attitude must stop if we truly want to sustain & create an enabling environment.”

“We are about to start elections and if these are the kind of excesses of those who are meant to be responsible for providing law and order, this is a great concern in this country. And those who are directly responsible need to take up that responsibility.”

Senator Oluremi Tinubu said Melaye’s arrest violated the sanctity of the Senate as a body.

“If senators Dino Melaye and Ovie Omo Agege can be taken away by the police, it destroys the sanctity of this chamber,” she said.