The 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
nine policemen and 33 persons were killed.
Our correspondent in
Abuja gathered on Wednesday 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 said, “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 the former Kwara State Governor, 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 gangsters 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 the
politician.
National Assembly source described Saraki’s statement as mature, noting that he denied procuring firearms for the robbery suspects and omitted the Lexus SUV he donated to the gang leader, Ayoade Akinnibosun, a.k.a AY.
National Assembly source described Saraki’s statement as mature, noting that he denied procuring firearms for the robbery suspects and omitted the Lexus SUV he donated to the gang leader, Ayoade Akinnibosun, a.k.a AY.
“He actually denied
knowing the gang members; he insisted that as a politician, he has a large
following and could not know many of them. He also defended the allegation that
he purchased arms for the gang, but he was silent on the SUV he gave to
Akinnibosun through the Chief of Staff to Kwara State Governor, Yusuf
Abdulwahab,” the source stated.
It was learnt that the
letter was receiving the necessary attention, but it could not be established
whether the police authorities would still insist on the Senate President’s
appearance before investigators in spite of his written defence.
The police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, had insisted at a press conference that Saraki must report to the Force Intelligence Response Team’s office at Guzape, Abuja, for interrogation on hislinks to the five gang leaders.
Moshood could not be
reached for comment as he did not respond to calls and a text message, but
police sources stated that Saraki’s claims would be verified by investigators,
noting that his defence had not foreclosed his connection or link to the gang
leaders.
Punch
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