Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused the Kwara State Government of misusing its prosecutorial powers after it significantly altered the criminal case linked to the 2018 Offa bank robbery, dropping 18 of the original 20 charges against him and former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The amended charge, filed before the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, reduces the case to four counts. The government retained two allegations relating to conspiracy and membership of a gang of thieves and added two fresh counts concerning the alleged concealment of a vehicle.
The withdrawn charges included allegations of armed robbery, culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms connected to the deadly Offa bank robbery that shocked the country in April 2018.
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Reacting through a statement issued by his media office, Bukola Saraki described the development as proof that the earlier accusations lacked a factual foundation. He argued that the government’s decision to abandon most of the charges raised serious questions about the basis of the original prosecution.
According to Saraki, the amendment reflects what he described as an attempt to keep the case alive despite the withdrawal of the major allegations. He maintained that the remaining charges would also be challenged in court.
The former Senate President further accused the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of using the case for political purposes. He alleged that the prolonged legal battle was aimed at damaging the public image of him and Abdulfatah Ahmed ahead of future political contests in the state.
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Court documents show that the revised charges now focus on allegations of conspiracy to belong to a gang of thieves, actual membership of such a group, and the alleged concealment or disappearance of a vehicle said to have been used for unlawful purposes.
The case, which was filed in April 2026, has yet to proceed to full trial due to a series of preliminary legal disputes and appeals.
For relatives of victims of the 2018 Offa tragedy, the latest twist adds another chapter to a case that has remained in the public spotlight for years. While the legal arguments continue, attention remains focused on whether the court will eventually resolve the outstanding allegations and bring clarity to one of Kwara State’s most closely watched criminal proceedings.
