As police insist senate president has case to answer
The death of the prime suspect in the Offa bank robbery of April 5, 2018, Michael Adikwu has continued to generate reactions with the House of Representatives mandating its committee on police affairs to investigate the matter and revert to the House in four weeks.
NewsGazette had reported (on November 19) that the news of the principal suspect’s death was broken by the attorney general and commissioner for justice in Kwara State, Mr. Kamaldeen Ajibade when five of the six chief suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran were brought to court.
The resolve to probe the death was sequel to a motion raised by Mr. Zakari Mohammed (PDP, Kwara) who described as “a shocking disclosure” by the police that Adikwu had died.
He said the police had initially confirmed to Ajibade, through force police public relations officer, Mr. Moshood Jimoh, that the principal suspect was alive and in custody and was helping the police in the investigation of the robbery that led to the death of 33 persons including nine police personnel.
The lawmaker said it took the police so long to make the disclosure about the death of the principal suspect after denying its veracity as was reported in the media.
Responding, the speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara put the motion was put to a voice vote and ayes had it.
The House therefore mandated the committee to uncover the issues and questions as to when the suspect died, how he died, why the police denied the facts of his death, and whether the police are covering up the facts.
Meanwhile, the police said the death of the principal suspect in the incident would not affect the outcome of the investigation.
Spokesman for the police, Mr. Jimoh Moshood who said this in a statement also said the evidence of the surviving gang members was enough to prosecute the senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
It would be recalled that the senate president, through his spokesman, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu stated that the new disclosure by the police had vindicated his earlier claim that the suspect had been murdered in police custody and that the investigation was politically motivated to implicate him (Saraki) and the governor of Kwara State, Mr.Abdulfatai Ahmed.
He said the inquiry would help to thoroughly examine and interrogate how the investigation into the robbery incident was conducted by the police and whether the investigation followed the normal process and complied with global best practices.
“It should be recalled that when we mentioned it that the principal suspect had been murdered and that investigation into the Offa robbery attack was politically motivated and targeted at implicating me and other individuals, the police public relations officer, Moshood Jimoh, said: ‘Michael Adikwu is in police custody’.
“The fresh facts have now thrown more light into why there had been inconsistencies in the various statements by the police. The police initially told the attorney-general of Kwara State that the principal suspect was alive and they only later reluctantly disclosed that he died in the course of arrest. How can a suspect confirmed to be in custody now be said to have died in the course of arrest? This contradiction shows a deliberate attempt to cover up something,” he said.
But Moshood who dismissed Saraki’ statement that the case against him (Saraki) had political motive said Adikwu was not murdered, “but slumped and died in detention.”
He added: “It is important for the public to know that Adikwu was not among the five gang leaders that indicted and implicated the Senate President; therefore, his death cannot vindicate Senator Bukola Saraki. There is a post-mortem examination result in respect of the death of Adikwu.
“Evidence from the five suspects now in court is enough to prosecute the senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki,” he added.
Here is the police full statement by the police
Re- Offa bank robbery: Saraki demands probe of death of principal suspect
All Five (5) suspects that indicted and implicated Senator Bukola Saraki, Senate President Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Offa Bank Robbery are alive and now in Court
The Death of Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs (A Dismissed Police Man and an Ex- Convict) a sectional gang leader who confessed to have killed Twenty Two (22) persons including pregnant women and Nine (9) Police personnel during Offa Bank Robbery cannot vindicate the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, the law must take its course.
Evidence from the Five (5) suspects now in Court are enough to prosecute the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to the innuendo in the media on the death of a sectional gang leader Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs (A Dismissed Police Man and an Ex- Convict) who confessed to have killed Twenty Two (22) persons including pregnant women and Nine (9) Police personnel and carted away of Twenty Two (22) AK 47 Rifles at the Offa Police Divisional Headquarters during Offa Bank Robbery on the 5th April, 2018, it is therefore, imperative that the Nigeria Police Force respond to the publication and set the record straight.
- The Nigeria Police Force is conversant and mindful of contempt of Court in commenting on cases already before the Court of competent jurisdiction, 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, Senator Bukola Saraki and not on the Court processes and proceedings on the case of Offa Bank Robbery for which Five (5) principal suspects are now standing trial in a State High court in Ilorin, Kwara State.
- For avoidance of doubt, and to correct the insinuations and wrong impressions created by the statement from Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki in the minds of members of the public over the indictment and involvement of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki in the case of the Offa Bank Robbery of 5th April, 2018, from the confessions of the Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of THIRTY THREE (33) innocent persons, the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki was indicted by the Five (5) suspects who admitted in their confessional statements to the Police investigators that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed. 4. The Five (5) gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name Youth Liberation Movement a.k.a “Good Boys” they also admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles.
- 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, these two (2) Vehicles were used for the Offa Bank Robbery by the Five (5) gang Leaders. The first vehicle was later registered after the Offa Bank Robbery to divert attention while the suspects were in detention. These confessions were made before the media and the public on the 3rd of June, 2018. It is therefore, evidently clear that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki has case to answer in the whole matter.
- It was also discovered during investigations that three (3) gang leaders who participated actively in the Offa Bank Robbery (i) Ayoade Akinnibosun aka AY (ii) Ibukunle Ogunleye aka Arrow and (iii) Adeola Abraham followed the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki to Oloffa’s Palace when the Senate President paid a condolence visit to Offa after the Bank Robbery.
- Further investigation into the matter revealed that all the Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran have direct connection to the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki as a picture of one of the five (5) gang leaders 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.
- Consequent on all the above, a thorough and discreet investigation was concluded by the Police into the matter and all the Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery that indicted and implicated Senator Bukola Saraki, Senate President Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Offa Bank Robbery are alive and now in Court.
- Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs (A Dismissed Police Man and an Ex- Convict) who confessed to have killed Twenty Two (22) persons including pregnant women and Nine (9) Police personnel and carted away of Twenty Two (22) AK 47 Rifles at the Offa Police Divisional Headquarters during Offa Bank Robbery on the 5th April, 2018 was among the Three (3) gang leaders captured on CCTV footage and later arrested. Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs was not paraded along with the Five (5) gang leaders now standing trial because he was taken out to arrest other members of the gang and recover the Twenty Two (22) AK 47 Rifles carted away during the Offa Bank Robbery.
- Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs was not murdered but slummed and died in detention while investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery was ongoing. It is also important for the public to know that the deceased Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs was not among the Five (5) gang leaders that indicted and implicated the senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, therefore, his death cannot in anyway vindicate Senator Bukola Saraki. There is a post-mortem examination result in respect of the death of Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs.
- The indictment of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki from the confessions of the Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery was not politically motivated as alleged by Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki to the media, but purely criminal case.
- 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 Thirty Three (33) innocent persons including pregnant women that were gruesomely murdered in cold blood by Michael Adikwu and the Five (5) gang leaders Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran arrested, investigated and currently standing trial for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery, than for any individual(s) or any group to attempt futile efforts and desperate distractions to pervert the end of justice is most unfair to the families of the deceased, the State and the society at large.
