Dino Melaye, representative of Kogi West Senatorial District at the Senate, is in fresh trouble as he has been charged by the police with criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms.

A statement released on Monday by Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer, said two notorious leaders of political gangs, who had been working for the controversial senator and one Alhaji Mohammed Audu, had been arrested.

The gang leader, Kabiru Saudi, also known as OSAMA, and Nuhu Salisu, also known as SMALL, were caught with two AK-47 rifles, five pump action guns, two locally-made pistols and one AK-47 ammunition and a heap of charms.

When they were interrogated, they confessed they were political thugs hired by politicians to cause mayhem and disrupt peace in Kogi State.

Moshood said: “According to the gang leader, Osama, he has been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu, a politician in the state.

“He said Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport Road, Abuja, inside Senator Dino Melaye’s car in the month of December 2017.

“The suspect further confessed that Senator Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train other thugs to work for him in preparation toward 2019 general election to enable him (Sen. Dino Melaye) challenge his political opponents and disorganise Kogi State.”

The police said Osama further confessed that Melaye handed him a bag containing one AK-47 rifle, two pump action guns and N430,000.00 to share with his boys.

“Consequent upon the indictments and criminal confessions against Senator Dino Melaye by the principal suspect, Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama, 31 years, Nigeria Police Force wrote a letter dated 2nd of March, 2018 addressed to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, informing and requesting him to release Senator Dino Melaye to report to Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command on the 7th March, 2018 to answer to criminal offences leveled against him, to enable the Police carry out a discreet investigation into the confessions of the principal suspect against Senator Dino Melaye. But Senator Dino Melaye have refused to honour the Police invitation till date,” Moshood continued.

“A case of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms have therefore been filed by the Nigeria Police Force at Federal High Court Lokoja on 16th March, 2018 against the two suspects mentioned above, Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu who is also a suspect in the matter and is now on the run.

Senator Dino Melaye had earlier accused the IGP for wanting him dead when he ordered the immediate withdrawal of police orderlies attached to private individuals in the country.