The Police said, yesterday, that 48 hours after the Offa bank robbery that claimed the lives of over 30 persons, including nine policemen, four of the gang leaders accompanied the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to the palace of the Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi Esuwoye, to sympathise with him.
They also said it was necessary for the Senate President to explain why he purchased prohibited arms for the suspects, insisting he had a case to answer.
A source at the SARS office in Abuja, told Vanguard, yesterday, that contrary to the widely publicized report, which indicated that Saraki was invited because of his role in the robbery attack, the Senate President was only invited to explain why he allegedly purchased illegal and prohibited weapons used to kill innocent and law-abiding people.
The leader of Offa Bank robbery, Ayoade Akinnibosun (a.k.a AY) paraded by Police Public Relation Officer Jimoh Moshood and Commander of IRT, DCP Abba Kyari during press Conference at Police Headquarters Abuja yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.
According to the source, “it is an offence to purchase prohibited weapons for criminals in whatever guise, be it thuggery or whatever you call it.
“For your information, 48 hours after the Offa armed robbery operation and killings, the four gang leaders of the group that perpetrated the devilish act, accompanied the delegation of the Senate President to visit the Olofa of Offa to console with him over the killings.”
The source disclosed that Police investigators during the interrogation of the suspects also discovered that one of the gang leaders was putting on the same Ankara clothing specially invited guests wore on the day of Bukola Saraki’s daughter’s wedding in Kwara State.
“So from these and other discoveries, there is really the need for the Senate President to explain these links. Nobody is saying otherwise,’’ the source added.