Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, are scheduled to stand trial on June 4, 2026, over a fresh 20-count charge filed by the Kwara State Government in connection with the April 2018 Offa armed robbery incident.
Also listed as defendants before Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court are Yusuf Abdulwahab, former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Ahmed, and Alabi Olalekan, a former political aide.
The charge, dated April 9, 2026, was filed by the state’s Attorney-General, Ibrahim Sulyman, SAN, and is expected to be served on the defendants on April 17, 2026. It is registered as charge number LWS/114C/26.
The defendants are accused of offences including culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, and other related crimes allegedly connected to the deadly 2018 Offa bank robbery.
Prosecutors allege that the accused persons conspired to sponsor and arm individuals who carried out the attack, which left multiple people dead and sparked nationwide outrage.
Central to the prosecution’s case are confessional statements allegedly made by Ayo Akinnibosun, one of the convicted suspects, who described himself as a “hitman” within a political structure allegedly linked to the accused persons, according to The NigeriaLawyer.
He was also reported to have claimed he received two AK-47 rifles from Yusuf Abdulwahab ahead of a political congress, alongside a Toyota Lexus SUV bearing Saraki’s number plate and cash described as “empowerment funds.”
The state further alleges that the armed group involved in the robbery operated within political networks linked to both Saraki and Ahmed.
It also referenced claims that some of the convicted suspects accompanied Saraki on a condolence visit to Offa shortly after the robbery, as well as the recovery of vehicles and other exhibits allegedly traced to Kwara State government facilities at the time.
On January 30, the Court of Appeal in Ilorin upheld the conviction and death sentences of five principal suspects over the 2018 Offa bank robbery, dismissing their appeals as lacking merit.
The convicted persons include Ayo Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham, found guilty of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and culpable homicide.
The sixth suspect, Michael Adikwu, a retired police officer, died in custody before the conclusion of the trial.
The robbery, which targeted five banks in Offa Local Government Area, Kwara State, left about 32 people dead, including nine police officers, among them two women.
Justice Haleemah Salman had earlier sentenced the convicted suspects to death by hanging after a six-year trial, alongside additional three-year jail terms for illegal possession of firearms.
The court held that the convicts acted contrary to the law and were influenced by their connections with individuals in positions of power at the time.
Saraki has repeatedly denied any involvement in the incident, describing the allegations as politically motivated and a “witch-hunt” aimed at damaging his reputation.
Former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed has also denied the allegations, insisting they are baseless.
The trial is expected to attract significant national attention given the prominence of the defendants and the scale of the Offa robbery, one of the most serious violent crimes in Kwara State’s recent history.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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