Offa Banks Robbery: Nigerians condemn IG over Saraki’s invitation, say 2019 politics playing out

Deluge of condemnations have greeted the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris’ invitation of Senate President, Bukola Saraki over the April 5 banks robbery incident in Offa, Kwara State.
Yesterday, while briefing newsmen at the police headquarters in Abuja the Force’s  spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said at least five of the suspects arrested in connection to  the robbery “admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles” by Saraki and the state Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
But, cross section of Nigerians in their reactions to the development had decried what they described as the politicizing of the robbery incident by the IG, saying it is part of political intrigues ahead of 2019 general elections.
A social media user, Richard Akinnola described the allegation against Saraki has “comical and implausible,” alluding it to dirty politics.
“I am still trying to wrap my head round this Saraki’s alleged involvement in the Offa robbery incident. It sounds comical and implausible. The pertinent question would be – how much would he make in the operation when he has the whole NASS at his disposal? What was the sharing formula with the hoodlums? 50/50 or 60/40? The whole thing sounds so comical to me, to say the least. Unfortunately, we are in a political period where many people, out of political prejudice or support, can’t dissect issues rationally and objectively. How l wish there was no previous face-off between the police high command and Saraki. It would have removed any perception of witch hunt,” he said.
Buttressing Akinnola’s submission Rotimi Atolagbe wrote:  “I am not a fan of any politician, but the alleged involvement of the SP in a robbery operation sounds to me very implausible. What will the SP want to gain from such?”.
A Facebook user, Odunayo Oguntimehin alleged that the President Muhammed Buhari administration is out to nwitch hunt perceived enemies.
“I don’t believe anything that comes from this present government. This present administration will use any opportunity to nail their perceived enemy…”
In his remarks, Ismail Aniemu said: “Everyone of our politician has thugs; even the saint with integrity. Robbery is another issue entirely. The SP is richer than what some banks in Offa can contain. No reason to rob, so I think.”
According to Akeem Jimoh, “it’s a bad omen.. all because of 2019… Pray they don’t set this country on fire.”
In his remarks Christian Tom pointed at tht the Buhari administration is going after perceived enemies saying, “So after Dino, Saraki is the present target, God knows who is going to be next? The Nigerian police is more concerned with political comedy than protecting lives and properties.
Speaking on the political intrigues of the development Aaron Ukodie remarked: “I had predicted in my November 2017 post what the PMB government was going to do in his bid to retain power. The stakes are too high for him not to keep to power. This is the beginning of things to come. We ain’t seen anything yet.”
Adepoju Seun D’editor expressed optimism that Saraki would overcome the persecution, saying “Already waiting for the next drama because this too shall pass.”
Biodun Durojaiye called for the sack of the police boss, whom he described as being biased, saying,“This IGP is something else. Too partisan. Too much a Buharist. We Cannot trust him to be neutral in the 2019 elections. He should be sacked. #SackIGPIdris”
A Nollywood movie producer Zeb Ejiro wrote: My question is….how much is he going to make when the entire NASS budget is in his control? I am not a fan of Saraki but we must ask pertinent question.”
Ayodele Emmanuel who expressed belief that Saraki could not be guilty of the allegations urged Nigerians to keep their fingers crossed and wait for the investigation report.
Ola Fatai Adeosun described the police and the Buhari administration as “empty when it comes to tactics, while meka Ilegbune described the IGP as a clown, adding, “We need good governance not all these political witch-hunt.”
Ranami Afagha said: “Tinubu is next…. An assassin will confess and mention Tinubu’s name… we warned them and they told us lies that Buhari has changed.”
Tunde Akogun said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is showing signs of desperation while Onabolu Adebayo Onabolu: said, “these are the first steps towards a full dictatorship.”
Lasisi Kazeem Adebisi wrote: “I read about Chief Obafemi Awolowo relationship with one Chief Oredein from Ogere. Chief Oredein was implicated in a robbery incident that happen at Bacita and the path of Justice was tolled. We are looking at how this one will play out.”
In his words  Yele Charles Akinrolabu said: “I’m not fan of Saraki but of the view that what will he benefit from such adventure. This is just political witchhunting of rogue government.”
Udeme Ikono said Ayoele Fayose, Ike Ekweremadu, Abaribe, Shehu Sani among others are next in line for persecution
Abina Kazeem asserted: There is no known Nigerian Politician who doesn’t have thugs on his payroll and everyone of them is known to the Police but we hear only cases of those not in the good books of the Police. It’s not possible for Saraki to be involved in the Offa Robbery.”
On his part Kayode Oluwa said it is part of the grand set up to embarrass, humiliate and frame up Saraki, advising the senate president to avoid any form of political interference and honour the invitation and be ready to have his day in court, if it gets to that, saying, “truth shall prevail at the end and the innocent shall be vindicated.”
A politician, Olu Akinboyewa said: “In dangerous unionism, enemies would use the police by exposing your statement to a dangerous suspect, to catch the plaintiff but God is Ever Mighty. What does Saraki want in money? Well, for Omo Baba Oloye in Ilorin, when he learns catacata like Dino, he would come and pitch his political tent on our side. It is the commencement of the market dance, Act 1, Scene 1. We are enjoying the show of shame.
While Henrietta Iwerunmor described the scenario playing out as sickening, Ebelo Goodluck noted that Saraki is up against a cabal that wants to spill blood.
Yemi Ajayi described the development as “interesting episode in the ongoing political season film.”
Eliashib Ime-James Cornelius queried, “and you think, Saraki would be so dumb to directly relate with thugs? Common let’s accord Saraki some intelligence now. Haba”
On his part Pade Olapoju added that: “The IG is just trying to prove a devilish point. Who is to summon whom? And whose summon is to be honoured? The script is getting interesting.”
In his opinion, Joseph Monehin said, “Without prejudice to ongoing investigations, I think it is very implausible that Saraki was involved in the Offa robbery. The most likely scenario is that the suspects that were arrested alluded to being political thugs that had worked for Saraki and Governor Fatai Ahmed in the past. IGP Idris would gladly make a good deal from this type of linkage.”

…Senate President denies link with any band of criminals

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, yesterday, reiterated that he has no connection with any criminal gang or suspects arrested in connection with the April 5 robbery incident in Offa.
The police in Abuja, while parading five suspects arrested over the robbery incident were at least 17 persons, including police officers were killed, said the force will probe Saraki’s connection with the suspects.
Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said, one of the suspects and leader of the robbery gang, Ayodele Akinnibosun alleged that they were political thugs working for the Senate President.
He also claimed that they have been working for him since he was governor of Kwara State.
The police said, “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 gang leaders, namely; Ayodele Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery,” Moshood said.
Reacting to the allegation yesterday, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in Abuja, Saraki urged the entire public to disregard the claim as a baseless allegation and another ploy by the Police to implicate him by all means.
“Let it be known that there is no way I could have been associated with armed robbery against my people. When the Offa robbery incident happened, I was the first top public official to pay a visit to the place and right there in the palace of the traditional ruler, I put a call through to this same Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the IGP, requesting him to make certain specific security arrangements as demanded by the people.
“Members of the public will remember that on May 16, 2018, I alerted the Senate about the information passed on to me by my State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed, over a plot by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to frame me up by getting some suspected cultists arrested in Ilorin to implicate me. It is believed that the timely leakage of the plot in that case aborted the use of the suspected cultists to implicate me. Now, it is the Offa bank robbery suspects that are about to be used.
“This plot is concocted to embarrass me and, in the mind of the IGP, it is his own response after his refusal to honour the invitation by the National Assembly, headed me, for him to come and offer explanations on the rampant killings and violence across the country.
“Like the earlier one, this frame-up will also fail as I hereby state categorically that I have no link with any band of criminals,” he said.
Saraki however promised to honour police invitation saying, “As a person who has utmost respect for the rule of law and all constitutional institutions, when the invitation from the Police is formally extended to me, I will be ready to honour it without any delay.
“It is however sad that this abuse of the criminal investigation process aimed at intimidating and over-overawing the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work, is a big threat to our democracy “, the Senate President stated.

…We never sponsored robbery suspects, thugs – Gov Ahmed

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has refuted police allegations of sponsoring, funding, arming or otherwise supporting political thuggery.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede in response to a Nigeria Police statement accusing him of sponsoring political thugs allegedly linked to the Offa Armed Robbery incident, Alhaji Ahmed described the allegations as false and rejected his alleged indictment by the Nigeria Police or the armed robbery suspects in their custody.
Governor Ahmed affirmed that while the state government has empowered several youth groups under its acclaimed Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) scheme neither he nor the statement government can be held liable for how beneficiaries utilise the credit. He therefore urged the police to complete their investigations and charge the suspects to court soon in line with the dictates of the rule of law.
“To set the records straight, the Kwara State Government has a well known empowerment scheme under the Small And Medium Enterprises platform which is used to move women and youths groups into entrepreneurship. Consequently, several youth and women groups have benefitted from the scheme to date. However, at no point did the Kwara State government directly provide funds to any group known as Good Boys for any purpose.
“Similarly, if any of the beneficiaries chose to use the SME credit secured from the government to purchase a vehicle which was then alleged to have been used for an act of criminality, the Kwara State Governor and indeed the state government cannot be held liable for such actions since neither had prior knowledge of such intentions on beneficiaries’ part.”
Governor Ahmed also rejected the police allegation of arming and funding the suspects for political thuggery or for any other activity as false and unfounded as thuggery or any other form of criminality is neither encouraged nor supported by the state government or its agents.
While refuting the alleged indictment, therefore, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed expresses the hope that the police will soon complete investigation and prosecute the accused.

…Report reveals Buhari’s hand, as DSS withdraws officers from Saraki, Dogara

President Muhammadu Buhari was said to have consented to the plan by the police to arrest Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki over allegation that he has connection with suspected cultists in Kwara State.
According to online medium Premium Times, the President received Inspector-General Ibrahim Idris at the State House Friday afternoon, during which he alleged a cornucopia of homicide investigation documents relating to Saraki.
The president was said to have posited that the law should run its course so far the detectives have sufficient facts to file charges.
Already, the police have declared Saraki a person of interest in the deadly robbery incident in Offa, the second-largest settlement in Kwara State. The police said at least 17 persons, including nine police officers, were killed and five banks raided in the April 5 attack.
The police said the death toll from the robbery has risen steadily to 33 as at last week. Twenty 22 suspects, including a dismissed police sergeant, have been announced arrested.
Saraki was amongst the first set of leaders to condemn the attack and called for a sweeping investigation and prosecution of all suspects.
In a statement on Sunday, police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said at least five of the suspects arrested in the robbery “admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles” by Mr Saraki and Abdulfatah Ahmed, the state governor.
Saraki has been asked to turn himself in at the police intelligence department in Guzape, Abuja. No date was specified for the summon. The Senate President could be arrested if he fails to turn himself in as demanded by the police, especially as he enjoys no immunity from prosecution.
In another twist, the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday recalled half of its operatives assigned to the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
This is coming ahead of Monday’s talks between Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the nPDP team to be led by Dogara.
Saraki is also a member of nPDP, the faction that broke away from the PDP in 2013 to team up with APC for the 2015 elections.
The Cable understands that the security operatives attached to the two presiding officers of the national assembly were directed to report to the DSS headquarters “with immediate effect”.
No reason was given for the withdrawal, although it is believed to have been at the instance of the presidency.
The medium could not confirm the development from the DSS, which has not had a spokesperson since Lawal Daura was appointed its director-general in 2015.
However, sources at the national assembly confirmed the recall of the operatives.
The nPDP had recently issued an ultimatum to APC for a meeting, complaining that it had been marginalised by the ruling party after helping them to oust the PDP from power in 2015.
There are speculations that nPDP members will defect from APC and present a candidate to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019.