Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has strongly denied any involvement in the 2018 Offa armed robbery incident, describing fresh attempts to link him to the crime as “frivolous” and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Friday, Saraki said he was compelled to respond following widespread reactions from Nigerians over reports that the Kwara State Government had initiated criminal proceedings against him and others in connection with the robbery.
He insisted that multiple investigations conducted under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari found no evidence linking him to the crime. According to Saraki, legal advice issued by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in 2018 clearly stated that there was no prima facie case against him.
“The DPP reports categorically stated that there was no nexus between me and the alleged offences of armed robbery, criminal conspiracy, or culpable homicide,” he said.
Saraki further noted that based on the DPP’s findings, four suspects were prosecuted, convicted, and their convictions upheld on appeal, with the matter now before the Supreme Court.
He accused the incumbent governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, of attempting to “resurrect baseless allegations” as a form of political retaliation following his recent criticism of insecurity in the state during a television interview.
The former Senate President also alleged that the state government deliberately withheld key documents, including the DPP reports, while promoting the case in the media to mislead the public.
Describing the move as an abuse of judicial process, Saraki said his legal team was prepared to challenge the charges in court.
He further criticized the governor’s handling of security in Kwara, claiming that over 400 lives had been lost to banditry between January 2025 and March 2026, with more than 100 kidnappings recorded within the same period.
Saraki argued that the renewed legal action was a distraction from governance failures, adding that the accusations were an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
Despite the allegations, he expressed confidence in the judiciary, stating that the courts would ultimately “separate facts from political propaganda.”
