Offa Banks Robbery: NADECO Chieftain, Ayo Opadokun sad, wants son treated like any other suspect – Confidant 

By Adebayo Olodan

Former Executive Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Ayo Opadokun is said to be dejected following the arrest of his son, Kayode Opadokun  in connection with the recent banks robbery incident in Offa.
A confidant of the former NADECO scribe and a legal practitioner who also hails from Offa, Wahab Shittu, made the disclosure during an interview in Sunday Punch. He however said the elder Opadokun wants his 35-year-old son treated like any other suspect linked to the heinous act.
Speaking in an interview, the paper, Shittu who described the robbery attack on his community as unfortunate, callous, crude and inhuman, said his former classmate, Ayo Opadokun was dejected when he got wind that his 35-year-old son had been arrested as a suspect.
When asked how the NADECO chieftain is taking the whole issue, Shittu said, “His attitude is ‘let us wait and see.’ He is eager to see the outcome of police investigation and does not want to influence anything.
“He wants Kayode Opadokun to be treated just like any other suspect with all his rights guaranteed and his guilt  determined based on evidence.
“He would not interfere with the process and would not deploy any influence. He (Ayo) is sad, naturally, that his son is in this kind of situation but what can he do?”
Shittu however said the senior Opadokun has done what he needed to do in the lives of his children as a parent, “whether they now decides to accept our training is entirely their own responsibility.”
He described the NADECO chieftain as one of the most respectable, decent, and patriotic Nigerians that has crossed his path adding that, “he was my classmate when he came to take his second degree at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, between 1983 and 1986.
“I can confirm to you that Ayo Opadokun is a man of exemplary character and I can also confirm to you that his daughter, Bolanle Opadokun, actually practised in my chamber for nearly two years as a lawyer. She conducted herself very well.
“This fellow, called Kayode Opadokun, is unknown to me. I learnt he is the first son of Ayo Opadokun but there should be a distinction between Ayo Opadokun and Kayode Opadokun. Kayode, from what they said, is about 35 years old. Any child who is above 18 can answer for his activities, whether right or wrong,” Shittu submitted.
He added that the travails of Kayode Opadokun are one of the challenges of his (Ayo Opadokun’s) life “and I really sympathise with the old man.”
He however said it was wrong for anyone to cast aspersions on the person of Mr Opadokun saying, “I will prefer to isolate or distinguish the person of Mr. Ayo Opadokun from Kayode Opadokun. I believe that Kayode Opadokun’s case should be treated separately.
“Kayode Opadokun is said to have attended several tertiary institutions at the expense of Mr. Ayo Opadokun. So, if Mr. Opadokun has fulfilled his obligations as a parent and it turns out that his son decides to take another route, his son should be held personally liable and not Mr. Ayo Opadokun.
“Even at that, we cannot pass that judgement yet until the outcome of the final police investigation,” he said.
Recall that Kayode Opadokun was arrested on April 11 in Offa alongside 11 other suspects linked to Offa robbery who were arrested in various locations in the country.
He was reportedly released three months ago after serving only eight months of his robbery sentence. Found on him were a Baretta pistol and six rounds of live ammunition. Kayode was said to have admitted to the criminal roles he played in the Offa banks robbery.
Ever since the news broke, the former NADECO scribe has kept mum as efforts to speak with him on his mobile phone have proven abortive. He neither picked his calls nor replied the text message sent to him by our reporter.