Erstwhile member of the Federal House of Representatives and Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), Otunba Dino Melaye has sacked his nine domestic staff of drivers, cleaners and stewards.
The sack, coming one day after Melaye was arrested by security details, is believed to be a move towards preventing government agents from planting any incriminating evidence in his house. Earlier, Melaye bolstered security and monitoring at his Wuse, Abuja residence with hi-tech electronic gadgets and cameras that now help him to monitor his house through his telephone.
Melaye confirmed the report, saying those affected were the ones who could easily be compromised with money and other mouth-watering incentives.
“I decided to sack all my nine domestic staff because the level of trust has declined. Anyone of them could be used; some of them could be compromised. But I have decided not to sack my dogs because they are very loyal to me,” he said.
“This government is so desperate to get back at me and from the recent incident in which security agencies ransacked my house, it has reached a situation where government could use any means to hit back at me because if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back.”
He also confirmed that a telecommunication firm installed hi-tech CCTV cameras and other security gadgets in his home — a task he personally supervised.
One of the sacked staff expressed no hard feelings with losing his job, saying his boss had recently been through a lot situation and predicament.
“He has spoken with us on the need to carry out this measure because we are also aware that his life is no longer safe,” he said. “This year, Oga Melaye passed through trying times ranging from assassination attempt on his life to threats, intimidation and arrests.”
Melaye was arrested by security operatives on Monday, two weeks after leading a protest at the Eagle Square over the purchase of two bulletproof cars for Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
He was arrested by two policemen — one of them Assistant Superintendent of Police Patrick Ejoh — who arrived his office at about 5:20pm with a warrant of arrest for alleged “criminal intimidation and threat to life”. He was taken to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
“Two Police officers are presently with me and they have come to arrest me. I do not know my offence,” Melaye said before he was taken away.
“The two policemen just told me that they have a warrant of arrest on me with a charge of criminal intimidation and threat to life. But they did not tell me who I intimidated and threatened.”
Melaye’s last protest at the Federal Secretariat Abuja almost degenerated to a fracas, as a rival group allegedly sponsored by Minister Oduah staged a separate demonstration to neutralise ACN’s. At the protest, Melaye and his men were held hostage for almost an hour by a team of 200 riot policemen led by ASP Sunday Odukoya, claiming that the anti-Oduah protesters were obstructing flow of traffic and disturbing public peace.
While Melaye’s group were shouting “Stella Must Go”, the pro-government hoodlums recruited from the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) were shouting “Stella Must Stay”. But they were overwhelmed by Melaye’s group because of the latter’s numerical strength.
Melaye was arrested that day after insisting that members of his group should be spared but he was released hours later, after spells at the Department of Criminal Investigation, the office of the commissioner of Police and the office of the Commissioner of Police (Operations).
