Offa robbery: Kwara govt defends Saraki charges, says it cannot ignore evidence
The Kwara State Government has defended its decision to prosecute former Senate President Bukola Saraki over alleged links to the 2018 Offa robbery, saying it would have failed in its responsibilities if it ignored available evidence.
The government was reacting to Saraki’s claim that the charges were a witch-hunt intended to “embarrass my person.”
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoya, the government said it would not engage Saraki further in the media because the matter is now before the court.
However, it insisted that the charges were based on evidence already presented during previous court proceedings.
“In the face of the foregoing, no responsible government ought to turn a blind eye to the evidence available to it,” the statement said.
“To ignore the evidence would amount to an abdication of duty and would effectively suggest that certain persons are above the law.”
According to the government, confessional statements by convicted robbers allegedly linked Saraki, former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, and other former officials to the suspects.
It said the convicts claimed they received logistical support, including vehicles, cash, and arms, through Yusuf Abdulwahab, a former chief of staff to Ahmed.
