JUST-IN: Saraki, Ahmed, Others To Face Fresh Trial Over 2018 Offa Robbery

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and former Kwara State governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed, will on June 4, 2026, face a fresh 20-count charge bordering on culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, and other offences filed against them by the Kwara State Government over the 2018 Offa armed robbery incident.

Also listed as defendants in the case before Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court were 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 Attorney-General of Kwara State, Ibrahim Sulyman, SAN, and would be served on the defendants this Friday, April 17, 2026.

The long-awaited trial with charge No: LWS/114C/26 comes after the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of the principal suspects, including Ayo Akinnibosun, who had confessed during trial to being a hit man of Saraki’s political dynasty.

The prosecution alleged  that the defendants conspired to sponsor and arm individuals linked to the deadly April 2018 robbery in Offa, which resulted in multiple deaths and widespread public outrage.

Central to the state government ’s case were confessional statements reportedly made by Ayo Akinnibosun, one of the convicted participants in the robbery, who allegedly described himself as a “hitman” operating within a political structure tied to the accused persons.

He is also alleged to have claimed that he received two AK-47 rifles from Yusuf Abdulwahab ahead of a political congress, along with a Toyota Lexus SUV bearing Saraki’s number plate and cash described as “empowerment funds.” According to the prosecution, the armed group was allegedly involved in operations connected to both Saraki and Ahmed’s political network.

The charge further referenced claims that some of the convicted suspects escorted Saraki during a condolence visit to Offa shortly after the incident, as well as the recovery of vehicles and other exhibits allegedly traced to government facilities in Kwara State at the time.

The Court of Appeal had previously upheld the conviction of the principal offenders involved in the robbery.

Recall that vehicles and some exhibits traceable to the crime scenes were recovered from the Kwara State Government House and a Government Ministry in 2018 and same were used as exhibits leading to the conviction of the principal suspects.

Saraki has consistently denied any involvement in the attack, describing the allegations as politically motivated and a “witch-hunt aimed at tarnishing my reputation and undermining my political career.”

Former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed has also denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the claims against him are unfounded.

The high-profile trial is expected to attract significant national attention, given the prominence of the defendants and the gravity of the Offa robbery case, one of the most widely reported violent crimes in Kwara State in recent years.

The defendants are expected to be arraigned when proceedings commence on June 4, 2026.

LEADERSHIP findings showed that while Saraki is about to formally react to the development in Abuja this Friday afternoon, the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to do same in Ilorin any moment from now.