…police want to implicate me by all means – Saraki
…I’m not involved, says Gov. Ahmed
The police, on Sunday, invited Senate President, Bukola Saraki over the April 5 multiple bank robberies in Offa, Kwara State, during which 33 persons, including nine policemen, were killed.
Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood also announced the arrest of Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab, the Chief of Staff to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Alabi Olalekan, his Personal Assistant, Political, as investigations over the gruesome robbery deepened.
The police claimed five of the bandits arrested and who have made confessions during interrogations indicted the senate president.
The police therefore wanted to interrogate the senator, who is Number 3 person, in the order of protocol in the country. The police did not give a specific time they wanted Saraki to report.
“The Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited by the Nigeria Police Force to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer to the allegations levelled against him from the confessions of the Five (5) Gang Leaders, namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other Seventeen (17) suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of 33 innocent persons which include some pregnant women and nine Police personnel”, Moshood said.
The police in the statement appeared to have dropped hints on what they wanted to ask Saraki about, as they claimed that the five men, who were the leaders of the bandits `’admitted, confessed and volunteered statements that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed”.
The other hints dropped were the recovery of one Toyota Prado Jeep with Reg. No. 19KWGH belonging to the Personal Assistant, Political to the Governor of Kwara State and a Sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony”.
According to the police, “the Five gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a “Good Boys” admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.”
Police explained why the Chief of Staff and the Personal Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed were also arrested:
“A Lexus jeep GX-300 (Ash Colour) with a sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” used by the gang leader (Ayoade Akinnibosun, during the bank robbery and the killing of the 33 innocent persons was taken to Government House, Ilorin on 16th May, 2018 where the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” was removed before another plate number (Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM) registered in the name of Ayoade AKinnibosun the Overall Commander of the Offa Bank Robbery was then attached to the vehicle to cover up the identity of the said vehicle.
“The exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of the Min. of Environmental and Forestry in Ilorin, Kwara State. While the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” removed from the vehicle was recovered from one Adeola Omiyale who drove the said Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin immediately after the Bank Robbery.
“The Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, who is privy to information that the Police is looking for the Lexus Jeep as an exhibit used in the Offa Bank Robbery… directed one Adeola Omiyale to relocate the Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin. The PA (Political) is currently in Police custody and has made useful statement assisting the Police in further investigation into the case.
“A revolver pistol and pump action gun were recovered by the Police Investigation Team from the Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan’s Farm where he directed his brother to hide them after his arrest by the Police.
“In order to conceal evidence, the Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab who has been arrested and taken into Police custody, arranged the removal of the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” from the exhibit vehicle.
The police gave an assurance that they will continue to ensure that the rule of law prevails in every case under investigation and every offender is brought to justice.
Meanwhile, Dr. Saraki, has urged Nigerians to disregard the allegation by the police linking him with the 5 April robbery in Offa, Kwara state.
Saraki, in a statement by his media adviser, Yusuph Olaniyonu, described the allegation as baseless and another ploy by the Police to implicate him by all means.
“Let it be known that there is no way I could have been associated with armed robbery against my people,” Saraki said.
“When the Offa robbery incident happened, I was the first top public official to pay a visit to the place and right there in the palace of the traditional ruler, I put a call through to this same Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the IGP, requesting him to make certain specific security arrangements as demanded by the people.
“Members of the public will remember that on May 16, 2018, I alerted the Senate about the information passed on to me by my State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed, over a plot by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to frame me up by getting some suspected cultists arrested in Ilorin to implicate me. It is believed that the timely leakage of the plot in that case aborted the use of the suspected cultists to implicate me. Now, it is the Offa bank robbery suspects that are about to be used.
“This plot is concocted to embarrass me and, in the mind of the IGP, it is his own response after his refusal to honour the invitation by the National Assembly, headed me, for him to come and offer explanations on the rampant killings and violence across the country.
“Like the earlier one, this frame-up will also fail as I hereby state categorically that I have no link with any band of criminals.
“As a person who has utmost respect for the rule of law and all constitutional institutions, when the invitation from the Police is formally extended to me, I will be ready to honour it without any delay.
“It is however sad that this abuse of the criminal investigation process aimed at intimidating and over-overawing the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work, is a big threat to our democracy “, the Senate President stated.
The police in a statement earlier today alleged that five of the ringleaders of the Offa robbery attacks mentioned Saraki and Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed as their armourers and financiers.
Also, Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has refuted police allegations of sponsoring, funding, arming and supporting political thuggery.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede in response to a Nigeria Police statement accusing him of sponsoring political thugs allegedly linked to the Offa Armed Robbery incident.
Governor Ahmed described the allegations as false and rejected his alleged indictment by the Nigeria Police or the armed robbery suspects in their custody.
He affirmed that while the state government has empowered several youth groups under its acclaimed Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) scheme neither he nor the state government can be held liable for how beneficiaries utilize the credit.
He therefore urged the police to complete their investigations and charge the suspects to court soon in line with the dictates of the rule of law.
