The Offa Progressive Elites (OPE), a group of elite in Offa town, has expressed shock at the desperate and consistent attempts by some state actors to implicate a former President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in the Offa bank robbery case.
While expressing delight that all attempts by the devious actors to incriminate Saraki have failed, the OPE also noted that the cause of justice has been served and relief brought to our people as the culprits responsible for the heinous crime were apprehended, tried and sentenced by the court of law, while those found to be innocent in the course of the investigation were exonerated.
The group, in a press release signed by its President, Otunba Segun Oladunjoye, at the weekend, noted that “these agents of darkness” were still scheming to blackmail innocent personalities, particularly Saraki, with the robbery case despite their repeated failure.
The group stated that it was privy to the two reports prepared by a team of investigators led by embattled Assistant Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari which were reviewed by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation.
The statement read, “We have followed the Offa robbery case trajectory with keen interest from the beginning and are happy that after about six years of thorough investigations and prosecution, the case has finally come to a close and justice served.
“Again, we identify with the families of those who lost their loved ones during that monstrous act of April 05, 2018. It is a relief for us as it is for them that the culprits did not go unpunished.
“However, it is disturbing that despite the diligence of the police and the judiciary in this case, certain political actors are fixated on blackmailing Dr Bukola Saraki, a man who the law enforcement agencies have investigated and found innocent with no complicity in the Offa Bank Robbery case of April 05, 2018.
“At this juncture, it is essential to state that after the Police interim investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, U. E. Mohammed released his report dated June 22, 2018, titled ‘RE: INTERIM INVESTIGATION REPORT ON THE 5TH APRIL, 2018 MULTIPLE BANK ROBBERIES, ATTACK ON POLICE STATION AND MURDER OF THIRTY-ONE (31) INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING NINE (9) POLICE OFFICERS IN OFFA, KWARA STATE AIDING AND ABETTING CRIME/ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT.’
The Interim Investigation Report, according to the group, stated among other observations that, “after a careful review of the duplicate case file of the interim investigation report on the robbery incidence that took place on the 5th April 2018 in Offa, available evidence indicated that Michael Adikwu, a dismissed Police Officer initiated, planned and consummated the Offa Robbery and the attack on the Divisional Police Headquarters in Offa, Kwara State alongside.
“It is also our advice that exhibits recovered by the Police listed in paragraph 2 (L) above should be linked or tied to the respective suspects to enable smooth prosecution of the case.
“For the Senate President and the Kwara State Governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged offence and the suspects. Hence, it is our advice that further and thorough investigation in this regard be carried out.”
The Offa Progressive Elites stated that further investigation carried out by the Police based on legal advice revealed that the robbery attack was not carried out at the instance, knowledge or approval of both Saraki and then Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, while the weapons used for the robbery attack were not supplied by any of the two politicians
The group quoted the second report dated August 23, 2024, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed U. E, which states that “with regards to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki. Since there is no departure from the earlier findings in the interim report, this office is still unable to establish any prima facie case against him for any offences of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide punishable with death.”
According to the Offa Progressive Elites, the revelation of one of the major suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, in court on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, further cemented the desperate but failed attempt to implicate the former governor of the state.
“Akinnibosun confessed before a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin that the former Commander, Inspector General Response Team squad, ACP Abba Kyari, tortured and promised to give him N10 million and other things to implicate Saraki, in the armed robbery case.
“The suspect in a widely published report by National Dailies said Kyari also promised to give him a visa to any country of his choice if he supported the move to implicate Saraki, but that he turned down the offers, saying he would rather die for what he did not do than to lie against an innocent man.”
The group, however, expressed happiness that the justice system had vindicated Saraki and warned those it called merchants of blackmail to desist or face the wrath of God and the people of Kwara State.
“While we are apolitical and owe allegiance to nobody, we, as indigenes of Kwara State, find this and several other cold-hearted endeavours to bring down an illustrious son of the state distasteful and callous.
“Saraki has brought influence, honour and pride to Kwara State. Amidst the myriad of trumped-up allegations, he has come to equity with clean hands. It is high time those plotting evil stopped or they would meet their Waterloo”, the group said.
Signed:
Otunba Segun Oladunjoye,
President,
Offa Progressive Elites (OPE)