Dino Melaye on stretcher

Richard Akinnola

By Richard Akinnola

Beyond all the theatrical stunts on both sides – that is, the police and Dino Melaye, can we look at issues more dispassionately. Dino was scheduled to be arraigned in Kogi state, along with some suspects who allegedly confessed to the police that Dino was their sponsor and procurer of arms. Dino, who claimed that there is a plot to assassinate him in Kogi, using his planned arraignment as a decoy, applied to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court that the case be transferred to Abuja for trial. The Chief judge obliged and the proposed trial was transferred to Abuja.

The puzzle now is this – Why are the police insisting on taking Dino to Kogi when the proposed trial is now scheduled for Abuja? What happens if the guy gets killed in Kogi as he had alleged?

The truth of the matter is, beyond all these shameful histrionics by both parties, if anything untoward happens to Dino, it would be a permanent bloody dent on the president, the way Dele Giwa is to IBB, Kudirat Abiola and Rewane are to Abacha, Bashorun MKO Abiola is to Abdulsalami Abubakar and Bola Ige to OBJ. Then, no amount of public enquiries and investigations would wash the bloody stain from the hands of the president.

This scenario may appear as grandstanding but in the final analysis, if any terrible thing happens to Dino, the president would be perpetually called to question. His army of supporters egging him on won’t be there to defend him. A Sgt Rogers may tomorrow surface to squeal on how the operation was planned, even without the president’s imprimatur. So, there is a need for utmost caution.