Saraki’s queer robbery charge

IN a May 16, 2018 piece I did, I showed interest in a robbery that took place in Offa, Kwara State. In my review of the gruesome strike in that ancient town on April 5, 2018, I was more interested in one of the alleged robbers. On this day, armed robbers launched a coordinated, hour-long attack on the Offa Police Headquarters and five banks. Throwing dynamites to break open vaults, at the end of the strike, about 30 to 33 people, which included police officers and civilians, were dispatched to the hereafter. The Offa robbery has been recorded as one of the most violent bank heists in recent Nigerian history.

A curious twist was to follow investigations into it. It was the reported confession by the leader of the armed robbers, Ayoade Akinnibosun, said to be chairman of a Liberation Youth Movement, a graduate of Guidance and Counselling from an Ekiti State University. In the confession, Akinnibosun reportedly told investigators that he worked for Nigeria’s ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his successor as Kwara State governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed.

The truth of the matter is that, at that point, the trial lost believability, a major kernel upon which its foundation was expected to sit on. Yes, there is virtually no state government in Nigeria that doesn’t have a crop of people called “hard boys”

who help it engage in psychological and even sometimes, physical warfare against opposition elements. However, to allege that two state governors were involved in armed robbery operations beggared belief. It still does.

Many questions were asked in the process: what money could be garnered from a bank robbery operation that is not already at the beck and call of a sitting governor of a Nigerian state? The logic and science of robbery, especially the involvement of godfathers, immediately rubbished that allegation. The conclusion of many Nigerians was that the incubus of dirty politics, tar-brushing and opposition-smearing campaign must have midwifed this labeling. How this was procured was beyond comprehension.

Without prejudice to whatever evidence the prosecution would adduce in court at the trial, recently announced by the Kwara State government, it already stands on a wonky footing. In criminal investigation and trial, motive is a crucial element. It acts as the driving force for an explanation of why a crime was committed. Though it may not secure conviction, its establishment would help investigators narrow down suspects, contextualize evidence and build a persuasive narrative for trial. Overall, motive often strengthens a criminal trial. What would be the motive for Bukola Saraki, heir of a business and political empire and Abdulfatai Ahmed, a governor, in asking boys to go rob for them?

Again, since the trial began in November 2018, resulting in conviction of the accused persons, and final appeal pending at the Supreme Court, how come it is now that the Kwara State governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, woke up to initiate a case of criminal culpability against Saraki and Ahmed? Now, when Saraki has spiked criticisms of the Kwara apparently inept government and is poised to have his candidate succeed Abdulrazaq?

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I just read the Press Release issued by Saraki in this regard and couldn’t but agree with him. The recent dusting up of the fabulous claim of his two predecessors being armed robbers is a joke on Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq himself. In the name of petty politics, Governor Abdulrazaq would seem to have dragged down the remainder of pride associated with the Ahmadu Bello House. That state has been in the news more for banditry and mind-boggling violence than any development.

This has necessitated many inhabitants of towns in the state to wholly vacate and relocate to safer adjoining states. That should attract the governor’s attention more than this effort to make a corpse walk.