A renewed war of words has erupted between the Kwara State chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following fresh allegations linking former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to individuals convicted in the 2018 Offa bank robbery.
This development has heightened political tensions in Kwara State as the 2027 general elections approach.
On Saturday, the APC accused Saraki of maintaining longstanding ties with some of the convicted robbers, characterizing the relationship as both widely known and politically motivated. The APC further alleged that testimonies from key individuals during the investigation implicated Saraki, claiming the issue was now before a competent court and urging all parties to allow the judicial process to run its course.
The PDP, however, swiftly dismissed the claims as baseless and politically driven. In a statement on Sunday, the party described the allegations as a calculated attempt to blackmail Saraki and distract from governance failures. The PDP reiterated that Saraki had been cleared of any involvement in the case by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, and accused the APC of exploiting a resolved matter for political gain.
Despite these clearances, the Kwara State Government on Thursday filed a 20-count criminal charge against Saraki, his successor Abdulfatah Ahmed, and two others. The charges, brought before the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin under case number KWS/114C/26, accuse the defendants of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. Those named alongside Saraki and Ahmed include Yusuf Abdulwahab and Alabi Olalekan. They are scheduled to appear before Justice Haleemah Salman on June 4.
The 2018 Offa robbery was a coordinated assault on several banks and a police station, resulting in the deaths of more than 30 people, including police officers.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin, APC State Publicity Secretary Alhaji Abdulwaheed Babatunde argued that evidence and testimonies from the investigation, including those of former Chief of Staff Yusuf Abdulwahab and convicted gang leader Ayo Akinnibosun, point to a connection between Saraki and the gang. Babatunde insisted that if Saraki had nothing to hide, he should have no reason for concern, emphasizing that the judiciary—not the media—would determine the facts.
The APC also criticized what it described as Saraki’s reliance on media narratives and framed the ongoing prosecution as a lawful exercise in pursuit of justice, warning against attempts to politicize the case or shield anyone from accountability. Babatunde further linked the controversy to broader issues of insecurity, alleging that political actors had historically enabled criminal elements in the state.
Responding, the PDP dismissed the APC’s renewed allegations as “watery and pedestrian,” accusing the ruling party of resurrecting a previously settled matter for political advantage. In a statement signed by State Publicity Secretary Olusegun Adewara, the PDP insisted that Saraki had been exonerated by multiple investigations, including two legal opinions from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in 2018, which explicitly stated that there was no evidence linking Saraki to the crime.
The PDP also questioned the timing of the new charges, arguing that the case was being revived years after the original prosecution of the convicted offenders. The party further highlighted claims by the convicts that their initial confessional statements implicating Saraki were made under duress, with promises of inducement allegedly offered by investigators.
The opposition party accused the state government of using the case as a distraction from pressing governance challenges and warned that such tactics would not influence public opinion ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, legal documents from 2018 confirm that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, after reviewing police reports, found no evidence connecting Saraki or then-Governor Ahmed to the robbery. The Director of Public Prosecutions advised that there was no prima facie case against Saraki and recommended prosecution only of those directly linked to the crime. During the subsequent trial, the defendants reportedly recanted their earlier confessions implicating Saraki, alleging they were coerced by investigators.
Five defendants were ultimately convicted and sentenced to death by the Kwara State High Court in September 2024, a verdict upheld by the Court of Appeal in January 2026. The case is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
Despite prior legal advice and court rulings, the Kwara State Government has now instituted fresh charges against Saraki and others, citing the recovery of weapons and other exhibits from government premises in 2018 and relying on confessional statements allegedly linking the accused to the robbery.
The new charges have reignited debate over the Offa robbery, one of Kwara State’s most high-profile criminal cases. Legal experts are divided on the validity and timing of the prosecution. While some, like Ilorin-based lawyer Musa Andulraheem, acknowledge that new evidence could justify fresh charges, others caution that the move could be perceived as politically motivated, especially with elections looming.
As the legal and political drama unfolds, all eyes are on the courts to determine whether the latest proceedings will bring closure to a case that continues to cast a long shadow over Kwara State’s political landscape.
