Principal suspects in the April 5 killings in Offa, Kwara State, have confessed that they joined the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, during his condolence visit to the Olofa of Offa town in connection with the bank robbery.
Principal suspects in the April 5 killings in Offa, Kwara State, have confessed that they joined the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, during his condolence visit to the Olofa of Offa town in connection with the bank robbery.
In an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, suspected leader of the raids on five banks, Mr. Ayoade Akinnibosun, alleged that he and three others were also present when the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, as well as the senator representing Kwara South, Dr. Rafiu Ibrahim, paid a condolence visit to the town.
Akinibosun was among 13 suspects paraded at the Force Headquarters on Sunday, over their alleged involvement in the Offa bank robbery, which culminated in the killing of 33 people.
Other suspects, who spoke with our correspondent at their detention camp yesterday, included Aro, Edet and Murphy.
They were among over 20 others arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
The IRT, which is led by Mr. Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), has continued to record huge successes, one of which was the arrest of a suspected billionaire kidnapper, Evans.
Giving account of what transpired two days after the daring robbery, Akinnibosun said: “I was at home when a friend of mine called me. His name is Shamsudeen Bada; he is a boy to Bukola Saraki too. We have a platform, but I did not quickly see the message on the platform. So, he now called me and said the Senate President would be going to Offa. I now called Aro and Adex and asked them where they were; they said they were at the saw mill, that we should meet at home. We now moved from our house to Offa. On getting there (Offa), it was just 15 minutes the Senate President had been inside already. So, we didn’t stay much and he left.
On his way going, Shamsudeen now called me that Senator Rafiu was on his way back, but the Senate President had already gone; that we should wait until Senator Rafiu comes. When he came, we now went inside, as we got inside, the Olofa was in; we all stood there with him. When he left, we now followed Senator Rafiu. On getting to one small village, that was where Senator Rafiu stopped and wanted to ease himself.”
Akinnibosun claimed that the lawmaker gave them N50,000.
The suspect added that Governor Ahmed released N250,000 to youths of Offa community.
Akinnibosun disclosed that the said amount was disbursed through the governor’s political aide, who is also in the custody of the police.
He now gave us N50,000 all the youth that were following him; because that is how we normally do. He sent one of his boys to give me N50,000; I now shared it to everybody that was there. After the Senator left, we all left to our place of living, which is Oro. Somebody now called; I have forgotten the person’s name, to say ‘they said Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed will be going to Offa’. The person now said, ‘look at his convoy’; the convoy is even coming. That was how I called Adex and Aro again. So, we now met and moved to Offa again, with the governor,” Akinnibosun said.
Asked how many of them went to the Olofa’s palace to meet Saraki, he responded: “It was four of us – me (Ayoade Akinnibosun), Aro, Edet and Murphy.”
Asked to clarify the alleged largesse from the governor, the suspect said: “The governor did not give me money; he gave N250,000 to the youth of Offa; all the youths in Offa through his Personal Assistant (Political).”
Five suspects arrested in connection with the April 5 bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State, had confessed to their alleged links with Saraki and Ahmed.
The suspects, who were arrested in the wake of the robbery incident, had made confessional statements alleging that they were political thugs of the Senate President, who were sponsored with money and firearms.
Parading the five suspects, and eight others in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Jimoh Moshood, said they operated under the name of Youth Liberation Movement aka Good Boys.
