Federal legal advice clear Bukola Saraki as fresh charges revive Offa robbery case
Fresh legal and political disputes have emerged over the 2018 Offa bank robbery following new charges filed by the Kwara State Government, despite federal legal advice clearing former Senate President Bukola Saraki of any involvement.
The legal advice, issued on 22 June and 23 August 2018 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed U.E., followed a police investigation into the incident.
In the documents addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, the DPPF stated that there was no evidence connecting Mr Saraki to the crimes.
It said it was “unable to establish from the evidence… a nexus between the alleged offence and the suspects,” a position it maintained in a subsequent review, concluding that no prima facie case existed against him for charges including criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The DPPF instead identified six principal suspects, including Ayo Akinnibosun, against whom it found sufficient evidence to prosecute.
Those suspects were later tried and convicted.
The legal advice also found no collaborative evidence linking Yusuf Abdulwahab, then Chief of Staff to the governor, to the robbery, while recommending a separate firearms charge against another aide.
According to the documents, the offences fell within the jurisdiction of the Kwara State High Court, prompting a directive that the case file be transferred to the state attorney-general for prosecution.
According to judgements delivered on the matter, the Kwara State High Court convicted the principal offenders after a protracted trial, a decision later upheld by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin in January 2026.
The appellate panel, led by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, and including Justices Gabriel Kolawole and Abdul Dogo, affirmed the death sentences imposed on the convicts, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court upheld the convictions of Ayoade Akinnibosun, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, and Salawu Azeez for armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and culpable homicide.
The matter is now before the Supreme Court.
Despite these earlier findings and court decisions, PREMIUM TIMES reported on Tuesday that the Kwara State Government filed a fresh 20-count charge against Mr Saraki, former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, and two others.
The charge, filed under case number KWS/114C/26, accuses them of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, alleging that they armed suspects involved in the 2018 robbery.
Those listed alongside them include Mr Abdulwahab and a former aide, Alabi Olalekan. They are expected to be arraigned before Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court on 4 June.
The charges follow the Court of Appeal’s affirmation of earlier convictions connected to the robbery, including Ayo Akinnibosun, who allegedly confessed during trial to being a hitman within a political network.
According to the state government, weapons and other exhibits linked to the crime were recovered from the Government House and a state ministry in 2018 and later tendered in court as evidence during the trial of the principal suspects.
Prosecutors also rely on confessional statements attributed to Mr Akinnibosun, who allegedly claimed he led a group of armed operatives connected to political figures and received financial and logistical support.
Mr Saraki has denied any involvement in the robbery, describing the fresh criminal charges as politically motivated and an abuse of judicial process.
Mr Saraki, in a detailed statement on Tuesday, said he had no direct or indirect link to the robbery, insisting that previous investigations by federal authorities found no evidence against him.
“Let me categorically state that I have nothing to do directly or indirectly with any case of armed robbery or any criminal matter whatsoever,” he said.
He also referenced the earlier legal advice from the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“For the Senate President and the Kwara State Governor, this office is unable to establish from the evidence… a nexus between the alleged offence and the suspects,” he quoted from one of the reports.
He added that the DPP maintained the same position in a subsequent review, stating that no prima facie case was established against him for charges including armed robbery and culpable homicide.
According to Mr Saraki, the advice led to the prosecution of other suspects, who were later convicted.
He further alleged that the renewed charges were politically driven, linking them to his recent criticism of the state government’s handling of insecurity.
“Suddenly, the governor woke up after I granted an interview… and thought he could resurrect these baseless charges,” he said.
The former Senate President said he would contest the charges in court and expressed confidence in the judiciary.
“I have full confidence in the ability of the judiciary to give justice… this case against me will collapse like a pack of cards,” he said.
