…As Saraki demands probe of death of principal suspect
By Dele Ogbodo
The Police on Thursday said all five suspects that implicated Senator Bukola Saraki in the Offa bank robbery are alive and now in Court, even though it admitted the death of Mr. Micheal Adikwu, who is referred to as principal suspect in the bank robbery operation.
Police disclosed that the death of Adikwu, a dismissed ex- convict, a sectional gang leader who confessed to have killed 22 persons including pregnant women and 9 Police personnel during robbery operation cannot however vindicate Senator Bukola Saraki, as the law, it explained must take its course.
According to the Police in a statement signed by DCP Jimoh Moshood, it said evidence from the 5 suspects now in court are enough to prosecute the Senate President.
The statement said: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to the innuendo in the media on the death of a sectional gang leader Adikwu, who confessed to have killed 22 persons including pregnant women and 9 Police personnel and carted away 22 AK 47 Rifles at the Offa Police Divisional Headquarters during the robbery in April.”
The Police, said it is conversant and mindful of contempt of court in commenting on cases, however, the Force is constraint and compelled to respond to the statement from Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Senate President, and not on the court processes in Ilorin, Kwara State.
According to the Police, from the confessions of the 5 gang leaders: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa robbery and the gruesome killing of 33 innocent persons, Saraki was indicted by the 5 suspects who admitted in their confessional statements to the Police investigators that they were political thugs of the Senate President and the Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The suspects also admitted to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles, registered as: Lexus RX 300 Jeep with Reg. Kwara, KWA 143 RM with inscription Saraki, on a sticker attached to the vehicle, Mercedes Benz Compressor Reg. Lagos, LT 496 KJA.
Police, said the 2 vehicles were used for the robbery by the 5 gang leaders, adding that first vehicle was later registered after the robbery to divert attention while the suspects were in detention.
The Police said: “Further investigation into the matter revealed that all the 5 gang leaders have direct connection to Saraki as a picture of one of the suspects when paraded by the Police was in ‘Aso Ebi’ (trouser) used during the Senate President daughter’s wedding.
“The Five (5) gang leaders further admitted that they attended the Senate President daughter’s wedding held in Abuja.”
According to the police, Adikwu was not murdered but slummed and died in detention while investigation into the robbery was ongoing. It is also important for the public to know that the deceased Adikwu, was not among the 5 suspects that indicted and implicated the Senator Saraki, therefore, his death cannot in anyway vindicate him, stressing that there is is a post-mortem examination result in respect of the death of Adikwu.
The indictment of Saraki from the confessions of the suspects was not politically motivated as alleged by Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to Senator Bukola Saraki to the media, but purely criminal case, the statement added.
Moshood, said: “It should be of serious concern to all, that human life is sacrosanct and where investigation has been concluded and suspects arraigned in court, judicial process must be exhausted and not hindered for the law to take its course in ensuring justice for the families of more than 33 innocent persons including pregnant women that were gruesomely murdered in cold blood by Adikwu and the 5 suspects.”