The Nigeria Police says the suspects arrested in the Offa robbery operation have “direct connection” with Senate President Bukola Saraki following new revelations by the suspects.
The robbery, which took place on April 5, led to the death of 33 persons, including pregnant women and 12 police officers.
In a statement on Wednesday, the police said three gang leaders in the robbery incident accompanied Saraki on the condolence he paid the community after the attack.
Jimoh Moshood, force spokesman, named the gang leaders who accompanied Saraki on the condolence visit to the traditional ruler of the community to include Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham.
“New revelations from further investigation into the matter show that all the five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran have direct connection to the Senate President Bukola Saraki as new pictures of one of the five (5) gang leaders when paraded by the police early in the week was in ‘Aso Ebi’ (trouser) used during the Senate President daughter’s wedding,” Moshood said.
“The five gang leaders further admitted that they attended the Senate President daughter’s wedding held recently.”
The force said Saraki — who has been asked to respond to the allegations in writing — remains under investigation and that it “would not be cowed or succumb to intimidation from any quarter in carrying out a thorough and discreet investigation” into the case.
In the statement, the Nigeria Police disclosed that they have arrested two (2) out of the three (3) suspects mentioned by the Overall Gang Leader of Offa Bank Robbery Ayoade Akinnibosun a.k.a AY during parade of suspects on 3/6/2018.
“It was also discovered during further investigations that three (3) gang leaders who participated actively in the Offa Bank Robbery (i) Ayoade Akinnibosun aka AY (ii) Ibukunle Ogunleye aka Arrow and (iii) Adeola Abraham followed the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki to Oloffa’s Palace when the Senate President paid a condolence visit to Offa after the Bank Robbery.”
The Police said new revelations from further investigation into the matter show that all the five gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran have direct connection to the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki as new pictures of one of the five gang leaders when paraded by the Police early in the week was in ‘Aso Ebi’ (trouser) used during the Senate President daughter’s wedding.
The police in the statement stated that it will not be cowed or succumb to intimidation from any quarter in carrying out a thorough and discreet investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery where significant successes have been recorded.