Senator Dino Melaye Escapes Assassins Bullets In Hometown, Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi State

Sen. Dino Melaye escaped death by the whiskers as gunmen invaded his house in the early hours of Saturday at Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), gathered that the gunmen numbering about ten arrived the house at about midnight through the bush and opened fire from different directions on the house.

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

Melaye, (APC-Kogi West), was in his country home at Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area for the Easter holiday at the time of the attack

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP William Aya told NAN that the police received a distress call from the senator at about 1 a.m. and immediately responded.

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

Aya said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilson Inalegwu had set up an investigation committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations to unravel those behind the attack.

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

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

The senator said he suspected Mr Taufiq Isa, the Administrator of Ijumu Local Government to be behind the attack.

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

“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 course. I will continue to speak and be the voice to the voiceless. I’m not deterred; I remain resolute to make Kogi better. Nothing will stop me from coming home.”

In a swift reaction, Isa denied having a hand in the attempt on the life of the Senator, saying that he had been busy for sometime taking care of his sick wife.

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

“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,” he said