The Nigeria Police Force yesterday invited Senate President Bukola Saraki for questioning in connection with Offa Bank Robbery in which 33 persons were killed.
The invitation, according to the Police, followed allegations indicting him from confessions by five-gang leaders arrested for alleged active participation in Offa Bank Robbery. But in a swift reaction, Saraki said last night that the invitation is a desperate attempt to frame him up.
Noting that he will honour the Police invitation for questioning over his alleged relationship with the arrested suspects, the Senate president noted that attempt to frame him up just to tarnish his hard earned reputation, like the previous effort, is bound to fail since he has no link with any band of criminals.
While addressing journalists yesterday, Force PRO, Jimoh Moshood, said the five gang leaders namely: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of 33 innocent persons, including some pregnant women and nine Police personnel “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, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed.
”The arrests of the above mentioned five Gang Leaders and 17 others were made possible after the arrest of two principal suspects (Kunle Ogunleye aka Arrow and Michael Adikwu an Ex-Convict) whose pictures captured by CCTV in one of the Banks during the Banks robbery were circulated to the media and the public”, he added.
Moshood noted that the two principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five-gang leaders enlisted to carry out the Offa Banks Robbery, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa and the killings of 33 innocent persons on April 5, 2018.
He continued: “During interrogation, the five gang leaders mentioned in paragraph 2 further confessed and volunteered statements that they carried out the Bank Robberies, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters in Offa and the killings of 33 innocent persons during the robbery.
“Millions of Naira from the Banks and 21 AK47 Rifles belonging to the Nigeria Police Force in the Armoury of the Police Divisional Headquarters, Offa were admitted to have been carted away by the gang leaders and the other 17 principal suspects during the Banks robbery.”
Linking Saraki to the Offa killings, Moshood said, “The gang leaders confessed and volunteered statements to the Police investigators, giving a clear account of how they planned and carried out the Banks robbery operation in Offa, the attack on the Police Division in Offa and how they killed innocent persons during the robbery.
“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”.
The Force PRO further stated that in the course of discreet investigation into the confessions of the five-gang leaders and the other 17 principal suspects, 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 was taken to Government House, Ilorin on May 16, 2018.
According to him, the sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony” was removed from Government House, 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.
He further stated: “The exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of the Ministry 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 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 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 and also registered the exhibit Lexus Jeep used in the Offa Bank Robbery in the name of Ayoade AKinnibosun, the overall Gang Commander of the Offa Bank Robbery while the AKinnibosun was already in Police custody for more than six days before the registration of the vehicle”.
The Police listed the 22 suspects already arrested to include Ayoade Akinnibosun a.k.a AY– Gang Leader (Coordinator of the Killings) from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Ibukunle Ogunleye, – Gang Leader, alleged to have killed two persons from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Adeola Abraham -Gang Leader, alleged to have killed five persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Salawudeen Azeez – Gang Leader, alleged to have killed two persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State and Niyi Ogundiran – Gang Leader, alleged to have killed two persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State.
Others are Michael Adikwu, Sectional Gang Leader, alleged to have killed 22 persons, mostly at the Police Station; Kabiru Afolabi; Omoseni Kassim; Kayode Opadokun; Kazeem Abdulrasheed; Azeez Abdullahi; Adewale Popoola; Adetoyese Muftau; Alexander Reuben; Richard Buba Terry; Peter Jasper Kuunfa; Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji; Moses Godwin; Adeola omiyaleo; Femi Idowu; Alabi Olalekan – PA Political to Executive Governor, Kwara State and Yusuf Abdulwahab –Chief of Staff to Executive Governor, Kwara State.
ALLEGATION PART OF DESPERATE PLOT TO TARNISH MY IMAGE – SARAKI
In his response, Senate President Saraki last night said he will honour the Police invitation for questioning over his alleged relationship with the suspects arrested in connection with the bank robbery in Offa.
Saraki however said the attempt to frame him up, like the previous effort, is bound to fail since he has no link with any band of criminals.
In a statement signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President urged the entire public to disregard Police claim as a baseless allegation and another ploy by the operatives to implicate him by all means.
Olaniyonu said, “The attention of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has been drawn to a story circulating online and apparently derived from a Press Conference addressed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moshood Jimoh, linking him (Saraki) to the Offa robbery.
Dr. Saraki will want the entire public to disregard this claim as a baseless allegation 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.
“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”.
The state made available to LEADERSHIP last night further noted: “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 by 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 the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work, is a big threat to our democracy”.
IT’S ABSURD, SAY SENATORS
In their reactions, some Senators yesterday angrily described as absurd the Police invitation of Senate President Saraki for questioning over his alleged relationship with suspects arrested over the bank robbery in Offa.
In a separate telephone chats with LEADERSHIP last night, the Senators said those behind the development should have explored a more diplomatic, richly reasoned and respectful allegations to reach out to Saraki rather than the pedestal and time worn linkage to robbery gangs in Kwara State.
The Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee Chairman, Senator Sam Anyanwu (Imo east, PDP), said the Police invitation “is a cheap blackmail”.
He argued that it will defy all sense of logic to link a two-term governor of a state and senate president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to armed robbery and criminality. He held that it will be very hard to believe by reasonable persons.
“That police invitation is nonsensical and too cheap a blackmail. I hope they will not end up derailing the democracy”, Anyanwu added.
For Senator Ben Bruce, no sane person will believe that Saraki has something to do with the Offa robbery suspects.
He said, “If you want to rope in the Senate president for whatever reason, you must find a more diplomatic and richly sensible topic. This one is too sad, depressing and preposterous.”
“How on earth can you begin to link a two term governor and the senate president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to armed robbery? Who will believe you?’’
On her part, deputy Senate Minority Whip, Senator Abiodun Olujimi ( Ekiti south, PDP) said, ‘’I have not heard of it. In short, I am just hearing this development now. Let us tarry a while let’s watch things as they unfold. There is nothing wrong in Police invitation for questioning over any allegation. In short, I will call the Senate president now’’.
Three weeks after the Police transferred some criminal suspects on an unrelated matter to Abuja, Saraki had raised the alarm that the Police were plotting to implicate him. The police however denied the allegations, warning the Senate president to desist from jeopardising an ongoing criminal investigation.
DSS WITHDRAWS OPERATIVES ASSIGNED TO SENATE PRESIDENT, SPEAKER DOGARA
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday recalled about half of its operatives officially attached to Senate President Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
A source close to the Senate president told LEADERSHIP that the security operatives attached to the two presiding officers of the National assembly were directed to report to the DSS headquarters with immediate effect.
The source who did not want his name in print said no reason was given for the withdrawal.
Also, the House of Representatives confirmed that some of the security detail attached to Speaker Dogara were withdrawn.
Spokesperson of the House, Hon Abdulrazak Namdas who spoke to our correspondent on telephone hinted that some of the security operatives attached to the Deputy Speaker of the House, Sulaimon Yussuff Lasun, may have also been withdrawn.
“I learnt that some of the security detail attached to the Speaker have been withdrawn by the DSS. I don’t have details of the development, but the Deputy Speaker may also be affected,” he said. But Chief Press Secretary to the deputy speaker, Mr. Wole Oladimeji said the security personnel to his principal are intact.
“I am not aware that any of the security detail have been withdrawn. About 35 of them attached to the Deputy Speaker resume to the office whenever he is around, but he only travels with a few and he chooses them at random. As I speak, we are in Osun State and all those who travelled down with us are here,” he stated.
Gov. Ahmed Denies Arming Thugs Meanwhile, Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, yesterday refuted allegations of sponsoring, funding, arming and supporting political thuggery. He was responding to the Police statement accusing him of sponsoring political thugs allegedly linked to the Offa robbery incident.
In a statement issued by his senior special assistant on media and communication, Dr Muhideen Akorede, the governor described the allegations as false, just as he rejected his alleged indictment by the Nigeria Police or the armed robbery suspects in their custody. Ahmed 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 utilise the credit.
He urged the Police to complete their investigations and charge the suspects to court soon in line with the dictates of the rule of law. The statement reads: “Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed denies the allegations of supporting political thuggery or any other acts of criminality as alleged by the Nigeria Police or the suspects allegedly arrested in connection with the tragic Offa robbery. Neither has he at any time funded or provided arms to any individual or group in the state or anywhere in the country. “
To set the records straight, the Kwara State Government has a well-known empowerment scheme under the Small and Medium Enterprises platform which is used to move women and youths groups into entrepreneurship. “Consequently, several youth and women groups have benefitted from the scheme to date.
However, at no point did the Kwara State government directly provide funds to any group known as Good Boys for any purpose. “Similarly, if any of the beneficiaries chose to use the SME credit secured from the government to purchase a vehicle which was then alleged to have been used for an act of criminality, the Kwara state governor and indeed the state government cannot be held liable for such actions since neither had prior knowledge of such intentions on beneficiaries’ part”.
Akorede continued: “The Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed also rejects the police allegation of arming and funding the suspects for political thuggery or for any other activity as false and unfounded as thuggery or any other form of criminality is neither encouraged nor supported by the state government or its agents.
“While refuting the alleged indictment, therefore, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed expresses the hope that the police will soon complete its investigations and charge the suspects to court in line with rule of law.”
