The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday recalled half of its operatives officially allocated to Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
\nThis is coming ahead of Monday\u2019s talks between Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the nPDP team to be led by Dogara.
\nSaraki is also a member of nPDP, the faction that broke away from the PDP in 2013 to team up with APC for the 2015 elections.
\nAlso, the security operatives attached to the two presiding officers of the National Assembly were directed to report to the DSS headquarters \u201cwith immediate effect\u201d.
\nNo reason was given for the withdrawal, although it is believed to have been at the instance of the presidency.
\nReliable sources at the National Assembly have confirmed the recall of the operatives.
\nThe nPDP had recently issued an ultimatum to APC for a meeting, complaining that it had been marginalised by the ruling party after helping them to oust the PDP from power in 2015
\nMeanwhile, the police high command, yesterday, confirmed that they have invited Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki over April 5, 2018, multiple bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State, during which 33 persons, including nine policemen, were killed.
\nThe Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, who disclosed this, also announced the arrest of the Chief of Staff to Kwara State Government House, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab, and the state Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed\u2019s Personal Assistant, Political, Alabi Olalekan, as investigations over the gruesome robbery deepened.
\nThe police claimed that five of the bandits arrested, who have made confessions during interrogations, indicted the Senate president.
\nThe police said that it, therefore, wanted to interrogate the senator, who is Number 3 person, in the order of protocol in the country.
\nThe police did not give a specific time when Saraki should report for questioning.
\n\u201cThe Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited by the Nigeria Police Force to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office at Guzape, Abuja to answer to the allegations levelled against him from the confessions of the five gang leaders, namely; Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran and some of the other 17 suspects arrested for their direct involvement and active participation in the Offa bank robbery and the gruesome killing of 33 innocent persons which include some pregnant women and nine police personnel\u201d, Moshood said.
\nThe police, in the statement, appeared to have dropped hints on what they wanted to ask Saraki about, as they claimed that the five men, who were the leaders of the bandits \u201cadmitted, confessed and volunteered statements that they were political thugs of the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed\u201d.
\nThe other hints dropped were the recovery of one Toyota Prado Jeep with Reg. No. 19KWGH belonging to the Personal Assistant, Political to the Governor of Kwara State and a sticker plate number with inscription \u201cSARAKI\u201d \u201cKwara, State of Harmony\u201d.
\nAccording to the police, \u201cthe five gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name \u2018Youth Liberation Movement\u2019 a.k.a \u201cGood Boys\u201d, admitted and confessed to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed.\u201d
\nPolice explained why the Chief of Staff and the Personal Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed were also arrested, saying: \u201cA Lexus jeep GX-300 (Ash Colour) with a sticker plate number with inscription \u201cSARAKI\u201d \u201cKwara, State of Harmony\u201d used by the gang leader (Ayoade Akinnibosun, during the bank robbery and the killing of the 33 innocent persons was taken to Government House, Ilorin on May 16, 2018, where the sticker plate number with inscription \u201cSARAKI\u201d \u201cKwara, State of Harmony\u201d was removed before another plate number (Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM) registered in the name of Ayoade AKinnibosun, the overall commander of the Offa bank robbery was then attached to the vehicle to cover up the identity of the said vehicle.
\n\u201cThe exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Ilorin, Kwara State. While the sticker plate number with inscription \u201cSARAKI\u201d \u201cKwara, State of Harmony\u201d removed from the vehicle was recovered from one Adeola Omiyale, who drove the said Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin immediately after the bank robbery.
\n\u201cThe Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, who is privy to information that the police is looking for the Lexus Jeep as an exhibit used in the Offa bank robbery\u2026 directed one Adeola Omiyale to relocate the Lexus Jeep to Government House, Ilorin. The PA (Political) is currently in police custody and has made useful statement assisting the police in further investigation into the case.
\n\u201cA revolver pistol and pump action gun were recovered by the Police Investigation Team from the Personal Assistant (Political) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Alabi Olalekan\u2019s farm where he directed his brother to hide them after his arrest by the police.
\n\u201cIn order to conceal evidence, the Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab, who has been arrested and taken into police custody, arranged the removal of the sticker plate number with inscription \u201cSARAKI\u201d \u201cKwara, State of Harmony\u201d from the exhibit vehicle.\u201d
\nOthers are Adeola Abraham \u2018M\u2019 35 year, also a gang leader, who killed five persons, and hails from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Salaudeen Azeez \u2018M\u2019 49 years, gang leader, who killed two persons, and hails from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; Niyi Ogundiran \u2018M\u2019 37 years, gang leader, who killed two persons, and also hails from Oro, Irepodun LGA, Kwara State; and Michael Adikwu \u2018M\u2019 30 years, a sectional gang leader, who killed 22 persons, mostly at the police station.
\nThe rest are principal suspects, Kabiru Afolabi \u2018M\u2019 26 years; Omoseni Kassim \u2018M\u2019 28 years; Kayode Opadokun \u2018M\u2019 35 years; Kazeem Abdulrasheed \u2018M\u2019 36 years; Azeez Abdullahi \u2018M\u2019 27 years; Adewale Popoola \u2018M\u2019 22 years; Adetoyese Muftau \u2018M\u2019 23 years; Alexander Reuben \u2018M\u2019 39 years; Richard Buba Terry \u2018M\u2019 23 years; Peter Jasper Kuunfa \u2018M\u2019 23 years; Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji \u2018M\u2019 29 years; and Moses Godwin \u2018M\u2019 28 years.
\nAlso in police custody are Adeola Omiyale \u2018M\u2019 38 years from Isanlu Isin Town, Isin LGA, Kwara State; Femi Idowu \u2018M\u2019 34 years; PA Political to Executive Governor, Kwara State, Alabi Olalekan \u2018M\u2019 49 years; and Chief of Staff to Executive Governor, Kwara State, Yusuf Abdulwahab \u2018M\u2019 58 years.
\nThe police further revealed that all the exhibits recovered from the suspects include, two AK-47 rifles; two Barrette pistols; one Pump Action rifle; one Revolver pistol, which is in police custody in Ilorin; Lexus RX300 Jeep with Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM belonging to one of the gang leaders, Ayoade Akinnibosun, used for the bank robbery; Mercedes Benz \u2013 Compressor with Reg. No. Lagos LT496 KJA also belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun and used for the bank robbery; and one Toyota Prado Jeep with Reg. No. 19KWGH, belonging to the PA Political to the Executive Governor, Kwara State, now in police custody in Ilorin.
\nMeanwhile, the attention of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has been drawn to a story circulating online and apparently derived from a Press Conference addressed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moshood Jimoh, linking him (Saraki) to the Offa robbery.
\nDr. Saraki will want the entire public to disregard this claim as a baseless allegation and another ploy by the Police to implicate him by all means. \u201cLet it be known that there is no way I could have been associated with armed robbery against my people.\u201d
\nIn his statement yesterday signed by his spokesperson, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Dr Saraki said being linked to the Offa robbery suspects is a plot \u201cconcocted to embarrass\u201d him.
\n\u201cWhen the Offa robbery incident happened, I was the first top public official to pay a visit to the place and right there in the palace of the traditional ruler, I put a call through to this same Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the IGP, requesting him to make certain specific security arrangements as demanded by the people.
\n\u201cMembers of the public will remember that on May 16, 2018, I alerted the Senate about the information passed on to me by my State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed, over a plot by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to frame me up by getting some suspected cultists arrested in Ilorin to implicate me. It is believed that the timely leakage of the plot in that case aborted the use of the suspected cultists to implicate me. Now, it is the Offa bank robbery suspects that are about to be used
\n\u201cThis plot is concocted to embarrass me and, in the mind of the IGP, it is his own response after his refusal to honour the invitation by the National Assembly, headed me, for him to come and offer explanations on the rampant killings and violence across the country.
\n\u201cLike the earlier one, this frame-up will also fail as I hereby state categorically that I have no link with any band of criminals.
\n\u201cAs a person who has utmost respect for the rule of law and all constitutional institutions, when the invitation from the Police is formally extended to me, I will be ready to honour it without any delay.
\n\u201cIt is however sad that this abuse of the criminal investigation process aimed at intimidating and over-overawing the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work, is a big threat to our democracy \u201c, the Senate President stated.
\nSimilarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari has squandered the goodwill that brought him into power in 2015 due to his alleged abysmal failure.
\nPDP also affirmed that its assertion was informed by the statement credited to Buhari that he could not match the resources of the opposition ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
\nPDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja stated that \u201cthis revelation by President Buhari and his dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) further portrays Mr. President and his party as mortally afraid of the PDP, having realised that the key electoral resource which our renewed PDP enjoys is the overwhelming support and goodwill of Nigerians.\u201d
\nHe said: \u201cIt is unfortunate that President Buhari would resort to face-saving stunts, barefaced blackmail and outright condemnation of the PDP rather than admitting his failures to fulfill campaign promises that he freely made to Nigerians\u201d.
\n\u201cPresident needs to know that Nigerians have become more politically sophisticated and that the only resources needed by a political party or a candidate in an election is the goodwill of the people and not financial reserves.
\n\u201cPresident Buhari and the APC should not be surprised that Nigerians have rejected them and returned to the PDP\u201d.
\nHe added that: \u201cIn the last three years, the Buhari-led APC administration wrecked our resilient economy, which was thriving under the PDP; escalated hatred, violence and daily bloodletting by insurgents and marauders across our country; brought acute hunger and starvation, institutionalised siege mentality, persecution and trampling of rights of citizens while turning our nation into one of the worst places to live\u201d.
\n\u201cIt is indeed pitiable that instead of seeking ways of regaining the support of Nigerians, President Buhari and his APC are engaging in needless propaganda and working on how to financially sway voters. Unfortunately, Nigerians have already moved beyond the deceits of APC.
\n\u201cIndeed, President Buhari\u2019s fixation on money politics confirms fears that the unabated syphoning of trillions of naira by the cabal at the Buhari Presidency through sleazy oil subsidy deals in the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum, in addition to the looting of public funds in other agencies, under the APC, are all preparatory for the manipulation of votes for President Buhari in 2019.
\n\u201cPerhaps this accounts for why a government that claims to be fighting corruption is breaking new grounds in corruption-related activities.
\n\u201cWe want President Buhari and the sinking APC to know that the repositioned PDP will not rely on money to win the 2019 general elections. The goodwill and support of Nigerians are enough resources for our victory.
\n\u201cPresident Buhari should therefore not think that he is addressing Nigerians of 2015, who gave him votes by listening to mere rhetoric and tales by moonlight.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday recalled half of its operatives officially allocated to Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. This is coming ahead of Monday\u2019s talks between Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the nPDP team to be led by Dogara. Saraki is also a member of nPDP, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":177336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-177332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-front-pix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=177332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/177336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=177332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=177332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetidenewsonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=177332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}