BEVERLY HILLS, July 26, (THEWILL)- The Ministry of Justice, headed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has told the police that there was no evidence that linked Senate President Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to the suspects arrested over the infamous robbery in Offa, Kwara state.
The robbery, which took place on April 5, led to the death of 33 persons, including pregnant women and 12 police officers while the police alleged that the suspects claimed they had “direct link” to Saraki and Ahmed.
However, the public prosecution office under the Ministry of Justice in a letter by Mohammed U.E, Director, public prosecution of the Federation to Idris Ibrahim, Inspector General of Police (IGP), stated that from evidence in the interim report on the matter, his office could not establish a nexus between Saraki, Ahmed, and the suspects.
The ministry, in the letter dated June 22 said the police would need to ramp up their investigation and also painstakingly explore all critical areas before identifying the Senate President as a suspect in the carnage, much less filing charges against him.
Yusuf Abdulwahab, Mr Ahmed’s chief of staff who was amongst state officials arrested for allegedly conspiring with the prime suspects, was also cleared, with the prosecutor saying no evidence is credible enough to sustain any charge based on any offence known to law against him.
“For the senate president and the Kwara state governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged offence and the suspects. Hence, it it in our advice that further and thorough investigation in this regard be carried out,” Mohammed said.
“Areas to be covered include but not limited to the following;
“i. Establish whether the planning and the execution of the robbery attack of the 5th April 2018 at Offa was carried out at their instance, knowledge or approval.
“ii. Whether the weapons used for the robbery attack aforementioned were supplied by either the senate president, Bukola Saraki or the governor of Kwara state, Abdulfatai Ahmed.
“iii. And any other area or areas that may assist in establishing a prima facie case of aiding and abetting crime, or accessory after the fact.”
It however, said only six prime suspects should be charged to court for armed robbery and murder which could draw capital punishment upon conviction. Olalekan Alabi, a personal assistant to Mr Ahmed, was also recommended for trial, but only on lesser charges of illegal possession of arms.
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