Offa Bank Robbery: Police Invite Saraki For Questioning

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Nigeria Police on Sunday announced an invitation it extended to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki to report to its Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer to the allegations levelled against him from the confessions of the five gang leaders that were involved in April 5, 2018 Offa, Kwara State Bank robberies.

The Police said the five gang leaders that implicated Saraki are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and 17 other suspects that were arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and killing of 33 persons that included some pregnant women and nine Police personnel.

This was contained in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Jimoh Moshood, who also said that the investigation directed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim K. Idris into the Offa Bank Robbery in Offa, Kwara State on April 5, 2018 has recorded significant progress, successes and more revelations made.

Moshood further said the gang leaders and some of the principal suspects arrested for their active participation in the deadly robbery operation have made confessional statements admitting to the various criminal roles they and their sponsors played in the dastard and heinous crime.

The Police spokesman explained that the five gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for their direct involvement and active participation in the crime, confessed that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmedf of Kwara State.

Moshood also said that the arrests of the five gang leaders and 17 others were made possible after the arrest of two principal suspects (Kunle Ogunleye aka Arrow 35yrs 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 said the two principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five gang leaders to carry out the Offa Banks Robbery, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa and the killings of 33 persons.

According to Moshood; “During interrogation, the five gang leaders mentioned 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 of the following six banks (i) First Bank Offa (ii) Guarantee Trust Bank Offa (iii) ECO Bank Offa (iv) Zenith Bank Offa (v) Union Bank Offa (vi) Ibolo Micro Finance Bank Offa and (vii) the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa  on 5th April, 2018.

“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 Five gang leaders and the other 17 principal suspects during the Banks robbery.

“The five 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 the 33 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, Senator Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed,” Moshood stated.  

He continued; “In the course of discreet investigation into the confessions of these five gang leaders and the 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 ‘M’ 37Yrs) 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 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.”

Moshood further said that the Personal Assistant (Political) to the governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, who was 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 police spokesman said the PA (Political) is currently in Police custody and has made useful statement assisting the Police in further investigation into the case, adding that a revolver pistol and pump action gun were recovered by the Police Investigation Team at Mr. Olalekan’s farm where he directed his brother to hide them after his arrest by the Police.  

Moshood also said; “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 Ayoade AKinnibosun was already in Police custody for more than six days before the registration of the vehicle.

“Investigation is ongoing and effort is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large. All suspects involved will be arraigned in court for prosecution on completion of investigation,” Moshood said.

The police said it would continue to ensure that the rule of law prevails in every case under Police investigation and ensure that every offender is brought to justice.