Offa Robbery: Saraki Vows Legal Battle As Kwara Govt Drops 18 Charges

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has vowed to challenge the remaining charges against him and former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, following the decision of the state government to withdraw 18 of the 20 counts filed against them over the 2018 Offa bank robbery.

Saraki, in a statement issued by his media office described the development as a vindication of his position that the allegations were unfounded, accusing the Kwara State Government of using the judicial process to pursue political interests.

The statement, signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office in Abuja, said the withdrawn charges included allegations of armed robbery, culpable homicide involving police officers and illegal possession of firearms.

It explained that the state government retained two counts bordering on alleged conspiracy to belong to a gang of thieves and membership of the gang, alongside allegations relating to the concealment or disappearance of a vehicle allegedly used for unlawful purposes.

The media office argued that the decision to drop most of the charges exposed the weakness of the original case against the former governors.

It said, “The amendment to the charge sheet only reveals that there was no case against these gentlemen from the beginning and what the state government is indulging in is abuse of powers, a travesty of the justice system, and mockery of the prosecutorial powers of the state.”

The statement also accused Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration of attempting to damage the reputations of his predecessors ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It further alleged that the state government spent close to N100million publicising its claims against Saraki and Ahmed in national newspapers earlier in the year, describing the expenditure as an inappropriate use of public funds.

Saraki’s media office also questioned the timing of the amended charges, noting that the development came while the former Senate President was visiting Offa and other communities in Kwara South to campaign for Peoples Democratic Party candidates.

It maintained that Saraki’s legal team would contest the two surviving counts, expressing confidence that the amended charge sheet would not withstand judicial scrutiny.

The media office said the former Senate President remained unperturbed by the prosecution and insisted that the remaining allegations would also fail in court.

The case dates back to the April 5, 2018, armed robbery attacks on commercial banks in Offa, Kwara State, during which several people, including police officers, were killed.

Following the incident, the police invited Saraki for questioning after some arrested suspects allegedly implicated him. He denied any involvement in the robbery and described the allegations as an attempt to implicate him.

In April 2026, the Kwara State Government filed a fresh 20-count charge against Saraki, Ahmed and two former aides, Yusuf Abdulwahab and Alabi Olalekan, over their alleged involvement in the incident.

The charges included criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

Saraki had rejected the allegations, citing two legal opinions issued by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in June and August 2018, which he maintained found no evidence linking him to the robbery.