OFFA ROBBERY: SUSPECT ADMITS AS FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT’S NAME RESURFACES

__The court trial for the infamous 2018 robbery operation in Offa, Kwara state, has started to provide further discoveries.

__Bukola Saraki, the former president of the Senate, was frequently cited as the robbery’s purported organizer.

__On Thursday, December 8, a witness, however, claimed that police officers had tortured them in order to blame Saraki.

The intelligence response team led by suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari apprehended five suspects in the historic Offa Robbery. At the restart of the trial, Mathias Emeribe, the defense attorney, introduced Bada’s confession as evidence.

Nine police officers and bystanders were murdered during the infamous Offa Robbery. Adeola Abraham, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun, and two other defendants were all arraigned and charged with various offences, including illegal possession of firearms.

Bada admitted during cross-examination that the families of the suspects had threatened legal action for wrongful detention, but the police intelligence unit had ignored the threats and claimed that they were merely carrying out the Inspector-General of Police’s instructions.

The admission

The witness disclosed that police officers offered them a grant of freedom if they could identify the former Senate President Bukola Saraki as their sponsor when they were being held. He disclosed that Ayo Akinnibosun, one of the prisoners, was shot in the leg because he refused to comply.

A witness stated:

“My health began to decline after he was shot. To treat me, DCP Abba Kyari sent some nurses.

“The police officers set me conditions before I was eventually released, including that I not give any news interviews, not appear in court, and not participate in politics.

Due to the absence of a document that was meant to be provided to the court, the cross-examination by prosecuting attorney Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) was suspended. As a result, the case was postponed by the presiding judge, Justice Halimat Salman, until January 16, 17, and 18, when the witness would be called again for cross-examination.