Again, police invite Saraki over Offa bank robbery

The police on Monday again wrote to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asking him to appear at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, today in connection with the April 5, Offa bank robbery.

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris in a letter dated July 23, directed Saraki to report to the head of the investigation team at the Intelligence Response Team at Guzape Junction, Asokoro Extension, Abuja.

Saraki’s invitation, the police authorities said, is to enable the Senate President shed more light on his earlier statement and assist the police in further investigation of the robbery.

Speaking on the propriety of Saraki’s invitation, the police said, “After a careful perusal of your letter to the police, it was discovered that the statement requires further clarification and coupled with the fact that you stated that the full text of the statements of the suspects were not shown to you, it is imperative you report to the police to make further statements after
giving you the full text of the statements of the suspects”.

The Daily Times recalls that Saraki had in his earlier response to the police invitation, denied knowledge of the alleged crime, stating that “by virtue of my participation in politics, I have a large followership which makes it impossible for me to know all of them.

“I can say categorically that I am in no way associated with the vehicle mentioned in your letter nor have I given any arms to any thug or other persons in Kwara State or anywhere else.

“For the records, your letter under reference did not include the full text of the statements made by the accused persons”.

But the police is insisting that Saraki has questions to answer based on the statement of one of the suspects in the robbery, Ayoade Akinnibosun who alleged that “members of his group are political thugs working for Senator Bukola Saraki and the governor of Kwara State.

“That he is the head of the political thugs named Youths Liberation Movement covering about seven local government areas of Kwara South.

That he gets vehicle and monetary gifts from Senator Bukola Saraki through the chief of staff to the governor of Kwara State; that the last money he got directly from Senator Bukola Saraki was N500, 000”.

According to the police, Ayoade further made mention of some other thugs in Kwara Central with guns whom Senator Saraki is sponsoring as Alhaji Alawo, Alhaji Dona, Alhaji Jawando among others, maintaining that Senator Bukola Saraki supplies the arms and vehicles to the thugs.

The suspect further claimed that “everyone in Kwara Central fear them because of their guns and ability to kill anybody without hesitation.”

Furthermore, the suspect also stated that “the date Saraki visited the Palace of the Oba in Offa, to sympathize with victims of the robbery, that he and two other gang members were with you in the convoy,” the police added.

After the deadly Offa robbery, the police had arrested some suspects, identified as Kunle Ogunleye and Micheal Adikwu.

The two suspects thereafter made useful statements and named the five gang leaders who organized the armed robbery.

“Some of the five gang leaders made confessional statements admitting their participation in this worst armed robbery and that they are political thugs under the name, Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a. ‘Good boys’ allegedly sponsored by you (Saraki) and that you have given them firearms, money and vehicles.

“It was equally discovered that one of the vehicles, a Lexus Jeep, used by the gang leader, Ayoade Akinnibosun has a sticker plate number ‘SARAKI’ Kwara State of Harmony”.

“The Lexus jeep was parked in the Government House after the arrest of Ayoade and in order to conceal evidence, the chief of staff to the Governor of Kwara State, arranged for the removal of the sticker plate number “SARAKI Kwara State of Harmony” from the Lexus jeep and quickly registered it in the name of the suspect, six days after the suspect
had been arrested by the police,” the police added.