Update: Police Invite Saraki Over Offa Bank Robberies

The police have invited the Senate President, Bukola Saraki over the April 5, 2018 Offa bank robberies in which nine policemen and 33 persons were killed and millions of naira stolen.

The force said it would interrogate Saraki over his relationship with the suspects arrested in connection with the multiple robberies.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood announced this in Abuja on Sunday while parading 22 suspects in custody for the heist.

Moshood gave the names of those arrested so far as Ayoade Akinnibosun, aka AY, 37, described as the gang leader, who coordinated the killings, from Oro, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State; Ibukunle Ogunleye, 36, gang leader, who killed two persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Adeola Abraham, 35, gang leader, killed five persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Salawudeen Azeez, 49, gang leader, killed two persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Niyi Ogundiran, 37, gang leader, killed two persons, from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; and Michael Adikwu, 30, described as a sectional gang leader, who killed 22 persons, mostly at the Police Station.

Others included Kabiru Afolabi, 26, principal suspect; Omoseni Kassim, 28, principal suspect; Kayode Opadokun, 35, principal suspect; Kazeem Abdulrasheed, 36, principal suspect; Azeez Abdullahi, 27, principal suspect; Adewale Popoola, 22, principal suspect; Adetoyese Muftau, 23, principal suspect; Alexander Reuben, 39, principal suspect; Richard Buba Terry, 23, principal suspect; Peter Jasper Kuunfa, 23, principal suspect; Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji, 29, principal suspect; and Moses Godwin, 28, principal suspect.

Others were Adeola Omiyale, 38, from Isanlu Isin Town, Isin LGA, Kwara State; Femi Idowu, 34; Alabi Olalekan, 49, PA Political to the Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed; and Yusuf Abdulwahab, 58, Chief of Staff to the Kwara State Governor.

Recovered from the suspects were two AK47 Rifles, two Barrette Pistols, one Pump Action Rifle, one Revolver Pistol, Lexus RX300 Jeep with Registration Number Kwara, KMA 143 RM belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (gang leader) used for the bank robbery, Mercedes Benz – Compressor with Registration Number Lagos LT496 KJA belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (gang leader) used for the bank robbery, one Toyota Prado Jeep with Registration Number 19KWGH belonging to the PA Political to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, one Toyota Camry Saloon Car with Registration Number LRN 481 FE, N600,000 cash, four phones of victims recovered and one sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony.”

Moshood added in a statement on Sunday: “The investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery and gruesome killings of more than THIRTY THREE (33) Innocent persons in Offa, Kwara State on the 5th April, 2018 directed by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni, has made significant progress, successes and more revelations have been recorded. The Gang Leaders and some of the principal suspects arrested for their active participation in the robbery and the killing of innocent persons have made confessional statements admitting to the various criminal roles they and their sponsors played in this dastard and heinous crime.

“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 THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons which includes (some pregnant women and nine (9) 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, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed.

“The arrests of the above mentioned Five (5) Gang Leaders and seventeen (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. The two (2) principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five (5) gang leaders listed in paragraph 2 above to carry out the Offa Banks Robbery, the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters, Offa and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons on the 5th of April, 2018.

“During interrogation, the five (5) 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 THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons during the robbery of the following six (6) 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 Twenty One (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 (5) gang leaders and the other Seventeen (17) principal suspects during the Banks robbery.

“The Five (5) 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 THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons during the robbery.

“The Five (5) 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.

“In the course of discreet investigation into the confessions of these five (5) gang leaders and the other seventeen (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 THIRTY THREE (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 and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons 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 and also registered the exhibit Lexus Jeep used in the Offa Bank Robbery and the killings of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons 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 (6) 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.

“Meanwhile, 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 THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons which includes (some pregnant women and nine (9) Police personnel).

“The Nigeria Police Force will continue to ensure that the rule of law prevails in every case under Police investigation and every offender is brought to justice.”