In a strongly worded rebuttal that has sent ripples through the Nigerian political landscape, the former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has accused the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, of attempting to weaponize a past tragedy for political gain. In a statement released on Friday, April 17, 2026, Dr. Saraki categorically denied any involvement in the 2018 Offa robbery, which claimed the lives of over 30 people, including several police officers. He alleged that the incident was originally “designed” under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, with the active connivance of local actors in Kwara, as an instrument of blackmail to seize political power from his group ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Dr. Saraki’s statement followed reports of a renewed push by the Kwara State Government to initiate criminal proceedings against him over the robbery incident that occurred eight years ago. The former Senate President recalled that the matter was exhaustively investigated by a special police team from the office of the then-Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris. He pointed out that two separate legal advisories from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), dated June 22 and August 23, 2018, explicitly stated that there was no evidence linking him or the then-Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to the criminal act. Saraki described the current move by Governor Abdulrazaq as a desperate attempt to divert attention from the administration’s perceived failures.
Stakeholder reactions have been swift, with the “Saraki Legacy Group” describing the new allegations as a “malicious after-thought” and a waste of judicial resources. The spokesperson for the group noted that the individuals who carried out the robbery had already been tried and convicted, and at no point during the trial did they implicate Dr. Saraki as an accomplice. Conversely, supporters of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq argue that there are “new leads” and “undisclosed evidence” that necessitate a fresh look at the case in the interest of justice for the victims. The Kwara State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ibrahim Sulaiman, maintained that the state has the constitutional right to prosecute any criminal matter where a prima facie case can be established.
Political and legal analysts suggest that this development marks a return to “gutter politics” in Kwara State as the 2027 elections approach. Experts argue that using an eight-year-old criminal case to target a political rival is a risky strategy that could backfire if the prosecution fails to provide “smoking gun” evidence. Barrister Mike Ozekhome, a constitutional lawyer, observed that the previous clearance from the DPP carries significant legal weight, and any attempt to re-litigate the same facts without substantial new evidence might be viewed by the courts as an “abuse of process.” He noted that the timing of the charges is suspect and appears more focused on the court of public opinion than the court of law.
The broader implications of this renewed legal battle point toward a fractured political climate in the North-Central region. The “Offa Robbery” has remained a deeply sensitive issue in Kwara, and reopening the wounds of the tragedy for political leverage threatens to undermine social cohesion. For Dr. Saraki, the challenge remains to clear his name once again in the face of what he calls “insidious state-sponsored blackmail.” For Governor Abdulrazaq, the burden of proof is high, and the outcome of this case will likely define his political legacy and his standing within the All Progressives Congress (APC). As the legal teams prepare for a showdown, the people of Kwara remain hopeful that the memory of the fallen is not desecrated by partisan interests.
