The police have said the death in custody of a leader of the Offa bank robbery gang, Michael Adikwu, will not affect the outcome of the case.
The force was reacting to a statement issued by Saraki’s media aide, Yusuf Olaniyonu, where he quoted Saraki as calling for the probe into the death of the prime suspect, saying he’s being vindicated by the turn of event.
The force said evidence of all other five suspects that indicted and implicated Senate President Bukola Saraki are enough to prosecute to him in court.
The police had arraigned the gang leaders – Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran – at a Kwara State High Court for involvement in the April, 2018 bank robberies during which over 31 persons, including nine policemen, were killed.
The police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, explained that Adikwu, 30, was not murdered, “but slumped and died in detention.”
Jimoh said, “it is important for the public to note that the death of a 30 year old Michael Adikwu, (a dismissed Police Man and an ex- Convict) a sectional gang leader who confessed to have killed Twenty Two (22) persons including pregnant women and Nine (9) Police personnel during Offa Bank Robbery cannot vindicate the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.
The Police stated further that the evidence from the five suspects who were arraigned in Court on Wednesday are enough to prosecute the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Jimoh further stated that “The Nigeria Police Force is conversant and mindful of contempt of Court in commenting on cases already before the Court of competent jurisdiction, however, the Force is constraint and compelled to respond to the statement from Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and not on the Court processes and proceedings on the case of Offa Bank Robbery for which Five (5) principal suspects are now standing trial in a State High court in Ilorin, Kwara State.
“For avoidance of doubt, and to correct the insinuations and wrong impressions created by the statement from Mr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki in the minds of members of the public over the indictment and involvement of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki in the case of the Offa Bank Robbery of 5th April, 2018, from the confessions of the Five (5) gang leaders namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran arrested for direct involvement and active participation in the Offa Bank Robbery and the gruesome killing of thirty three (33) innocent persons, the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki was indicted by the Five (5) suspects who admitted in their confessional statements to the Police investigators that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed,” the statement said.
The Police said the prime suspect was not among the five gang leaders that indicted and implicated the senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, therefore, his death cannot in anyway vindicate Senator Bukola Saraki.
Jimoh however said that Saraki’s indictment by the five gang leaders was not politically motivated.
