Offa Robbery: Police Arrest More Suspects In, Recover Guns

Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, have arrested more suspects in connection with the April 5 Offa bank robberies during which 33 persons were killed.

It was gathered that the additional suspects were apprehended in Kwara, Oyo and Kogi states and were assisting the police to track down other accomplices.

A source, who declined to give the number of the suspects, explained that two AK 47 rifles were also recovered from them.

The source told Punch that, “The fresh suspects belonged to the Michael Adikwu’s gang, the dismissed policeman and an ex-convict. He actually led our men to the hideout of the men where they were arrested.”

The fresh suspects, it was learnt, would soon be brought to Abuja and paraded before the media.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has denied any link to the five gang leaders that were involved in the bank robberies.

A source explained that Saraki, in his response submitted to the police last Thursday, stated that as a politician, he had a large following and could not possibly know all his supporters.

The police had said that their investigation into the matter showed that all the five gang leaders, namely: Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran, have direct connections to the Senate President.

The force stated that the suspected criminals were at Saraki’s daughter’s wedding and also went with him to visit the Olofa of Offa, when he paid the traditional ruler a condolence visit in the aftermath of the robberies.

It also explained that one of the five gang leaders, Abraham, was wearing the ‘Aso Ebi’ used during the Senate President’s daughter’s wedding, indicating that he was close to Saraki.