ILORIN – Eight years after the bloody heist that shook the nation, the Kwara State Government has reignited a legal firestorm by filing a fresh 20-count charge against former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The new suit, marked Charge No: KWS/114C/26, brings the two political titans back to the center of the 2018 Offa bank robbery investigation, which resulted in the massacre of over 33 people, including nine police officers. The state prosecution is alleging that the defendants played a role in sponsoring the gang that executed the deadly operation.
Gravity of the Allegations
The charges, filed by the Attorney-General of Kwara State, Ibrahim Sulyman, SAN, include criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and culpable homicide—the latter being a capital offense punishable by death under Nigerian law.
Also joined in the high-profile suit are Yusuf Abdulwahab, a former Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmed, and Alabi Olalekan, a former political aide.
The prosecution’s case hinges on the alleged provision of sophisticated logistics. According to the charge sheet, the state claims that the AK-47 rifles and a Lexus SUV used by the robbers were supplied through political channels linked to the defendants. This follows the recent Court of Appeal judgment that upheld the death sentences of the five principal suspects, including Ayo Akinnibosun, who previously testified to being a “hitman” for the Saraki political structure.
Political Fallout and “Witch-Hunt” Claims
The news has sent shockwaves through the political landscape. In Abuja, sources close to Dr. Saraki indicated that a formal response is imminent, with the defense expected to characterize the trial as a “politically motivated witch-hunt” aimed at dismantling the opposition.
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has already moved into damage control, summoning an emergency briefing in Ilorin. Party leaders are expected to argue that the timing of the fresh charges is a calculated move to stifle political rivals ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
The Road to June 4
Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court has fixed June 4, 2026, for the formal arraignment. With the conviction of the foot soldiers already secured, this new phase of the trial seeks to determine the level of “intellectual and financial” culpability of the alleged sponsors.
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As Ilorin residents prepare for what is likely to be the trial of the decade, the court’s decision will ultimately determine if this chapter of the Offa tragedy can finally be closed.
