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The Kwara State Government has filed a 20-count criminal charge against former Senate President Bukola Saraki and ex-Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed over their alleged involvement in the 2018 Offa bank robbery incident.
Also named in the suit are Ahmed’s former Chief of Staff, Yusuf Abdulwahab, and an aide, Alabi Olalekan. The charges include culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy.
The case, marked KWS/114C/26, follows a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal which upheld the conviction of several principal suspects in the Offa robbery, including Ayo Akinnibosun.
The accused persons are expected to be arraigned before Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin in what is anticipated to be a high-profile trial.
The April 2018 Offa robbery, one of Nigeria’s most notorious bank heists, left several people dead and sparked nationwide outrage. During the initial investigation, security agencies recovered vehicles and other items allegedly linked to the crime from the Kwara State Government House and a government ministry. These items were later tendered as exhibits in court, contributing to the conviction of the robbery suspects.
Despite Saraki’s earlier denial of any relationship with Akinnibosun, prosecutors cited photographs showing both men together at a family event, as well as claims that the suspect and his associates accompanied Saraki on a condolence visit to Offa after the attack.
In statements contained in the proof of evidence, Akinnibosun alleged that he led a group of political enforcers working for Saraki and Ahmed. He claimed that weapons, including AK-47 rifles, were supplied through the Chief of Staff ahead of a political congress.
He further alleged receiving financial support and a Lexus SUV from Saraki, purportedly used in coordinating activities with his group. The suspect also named other individuals he claimed were part of an armed network operating in Kwara Central.
Akinnibosun stated that he was invited to join Saraki on a condolence visit to Offa shortly after the robbery, adding that he travelled with other associates in the vehicle allegedly given to him.
In a separate statement, Abdulwahab reportedly admitted to providing vehicles to Akinnibosun and other groups, explaining that they occasionally visited the Government House for discussions on empowerment initiatives.
The forthcoming trial is expected to test the weight of the evidence and determine the culpability of the high-profile defendants in connection with the deadly robbery.
