Melaye Sues Police for Contempt of Court over Failure to Release His Passport

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

A member of the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye, has dragged the Nigeria Police before the law court over its refusal to release his international passport to him as directed by a Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja.

Chief Magistrate Mabel Bello of Chief Magistrate Court 2 sitting at Wuse Zone 2 in Abuja had on July 25 ordered that Melaye’s international passport in the custody of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Commissioner of Police be released forthwith to him.

Senator Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District said in Abuja on Friday that more than a week after the order was given by the competent court of law the police authorities were yet to return his international passport to him.

He said he had advised his lawyers to approach the court Friday to file contempt of court charges against the Nigeria Police for flagrantly disobeying a Chief Magistrate Court order.

Melaye added that before agreeing to sue the Police he along with his lawyers had in the last one week written to the Commissioners of Police(Legal) and FCT in Abuja applying for the release of his passport.

Said he ” I’m surprised that up till now my passport which a law court directed police to release to me has not been given to me. On the day the order was given on July 25 I wrote personally on that that day to FCT Police Commissioner authorising my lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to collect the passport on my behalf.

” My lawyer also on the same date wrote the Commissioner of Police ( Legal) for the release of my passport and up till now the court order had not been complied with and i have no other choice but to approach court again and sue the Police for contempt “

The Senator said he had it on good authority that the non-release of his passport was based on directive from above.

He then wondered ” if a law enforcement agency which is the Police is the one now breaking the law, how then do you enforce law and order in the country.

Melaye added that his life is being threatened since the Police authorities withdrew his security details on April 22.

” All entreaties for the restoration of my security details have been met with brick walls. They ignored Senate resolution that my security aides shoulde restored as well as a recent letter written to Police by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President on the same issues,” the Senator further said.