"Consequently, the Force is hereby re-affirming that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki has case to answer by virtue of the facts that the statements submitted by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki earlier to the Investigation Team was not explicit and detailed enough, and was discovered to require further clarifications and interrogation, and coupled with the fact the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in his statement, claimed that the full text of the statement of the suspects who indicted him in their confessional statements to the Police was not shown to him. It is therefore, imperative for the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki to report to the Police to make further statement after sighting the full text of the statement of the suspects."
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says Senate President Bukola Saraki still has a case to answer in connection to the Offa bank robbery, contrary to a media report claiming he had been cleared by Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The newspaper report had said: “Mr Malami advised in a June 22 letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, that the police would need to ramp up their investigation and also painstakingly explore all critical areas before identifying the Senate President as a suspect in the carnage, much less filing charges against him.”
However, responding in a statement on Tuesday, Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer, dismissed the report has false.
He said the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) advice did not exonerate the Senate President, but only called for further investigations into the matter.
He reaffirmed that Saraki “has case to answer by virtue of the facts that the statements submitted by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki earlier to the Investigation Team was not explicit and detailed enough, and was discovered to require further clarifications and interrogation, and coupled with the fact the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in his statement, claimed that the full text of the statement of the suspects who indicted him in their confessional statements to the Police was not shown to him”.
THE FULL STATEMENT
OFFA BANKS ROBBERY CASE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION
· SENATE PRESIDENT, SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI HAS CASE TO ANSWER
· DPP ADVICE DID NOT EXONERATE THE SENATE PRESIDENT, IT ONLY CALLED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE MATTER
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to publication on Premium Times Online Media publication credited to one Samuel Ogundipe, that “there was no evidence that linked Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to the Armed Robbery attack that left 31 persons dead in Offa, Kwara State, in April, Premium Times can now confirm”
2. It is incumbent on the Force to educate the writer of the story that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Federation in the legal advice did not restrain or restrict the Force from investigating further, the indictments against the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfattah Ahmed by the principal suspects arrested in connection with the Offa bank robbery of 5th April, 2018.
3. The DPP advice did not exonerate the Senate President, it only called for further investigations into the matter
4. It is in the course of further investigations into the case that a letter of invitation dated 23rd July, 2018 was sent to the Senate President to appear on 24th July, 2018 at 8.00am before the Investigation Team at Intelligence Response Team office, Guzape Junction, Abuja.
5. Consequently, the Force is hereby re-affirming that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki has case to answer by virtue of the facts that the statements submitted by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki earlier to the Investigation Team was not explicit and detailed enough, and was discovered to require further clarifications and interrogation, and coupled with the fact the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki in his statement, claimed that the full text of the statement of the suspects who indicted him in their confessional statements to the Police was not shown to him. It is therefore, imperative for the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki to report to the Police to make further statement after sighting the full text of the statement of the suspects.
6. Furthermore, the Force wishes to inform the media and the public that investigation is still ongoing on the Offa bank robbery and the indictment against the Senate President from the confessions of some the arrested principal suspects, and that, there is no political influence or consideration in the matter.
7. The media and the Police are veritable partners in crime prevention, protection of lives and property, and absolute compliance with the rule of law. The media are implored not to allow the pages of their esteemed publications be used to misinform the public.