Saraki Accuses Kwara Govt Of Political Vendetta As 18 Charges Are Dropped  

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused the Kwara State Government of utilizing the judicial course of to pursue a political vendetta towards him over the 2018 Offa financial institution theft.

The allegation adopted the federal government’s determination to drop 18 of the 20 prison costs initially filed towards Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in reference to the incident.

In an announcement issued by his media workplace, Saraki described the modification of the costs as proof that the unique allegations linking the previous governors to armed theft, homicide and unlawful possession of firearms couldn’t be established.

The state authorities, in an amended cost sheet marked KWS/114C/2026, diminished the 20-count cost to 4, dropping all 18 allegations referring to armed theft whereas retaining two counts and introducing two new ones.

The amended costs had been filed towards Saraki, Ahmed, their former Chief of Staff, Yusuf Abdulwahab, and former political aide, Alabi Olalekan.

The revised costs embrace conspiracy to belong to a gang of thieves, membership of a gang of thieves, and allegations bordering on the concealment and disappearance of a car allegedly used for an illegal goal.

The prosecution’s utility looking for the courtroom’s approval of the amended costs was dated November 6 and supported by an affidavit deposed to by a litigation clerk within the workplace of the state Attorney-General, Ibrahim Sulyman (SAN).

Reacting to the event, Saraki’s media workplace, in an announcement signed by its head, Yusuph Olaniyonu, mentioned the federal government had deserted essentially the most critical allegations after months of making an attempt to prosecute the previous governors on claims it couldn’t substantiate.

The workplace questioned the withdrawal of allegations that Saraki and Ahmed conspired to hold out armed robberies at a number of banks in Offa, together with Guarantee Trust Bank, First Bank, Ecobank and Union Bank.

It additionally recalled that the preliminary cost sheet accused the previous governors and others of involvement in an armed theft at Zenith Bank, in addition to the killing of law enforcement officials and unlawful possession of firearms.

Olaniyonu mentioned the choice to interchange the allegations with costs referring to membership of a gang of thieves “uncovered the weak spot of the unique prosecution.

“Without commenting on a case that has been filed in court, we consider the amendment of the charges ridiculous, mischievous, ill-intentioned, and a further attempt to abuse the judicial process,” he mentioned.

Saraki’s media workplace additionally questioned the motive behind the prosecution, alleging that the case was politically pushed and supposed to undermine his political standing forward of the 2027 basic elections.

It additional claimed that the Kwara State Government had spent practically N100 million on newspaper commercials to publicise its allegations towards the previous governors.

The workplace described the expenditure as a waste of public funds, significantly as the federal government had now withdrawn the allegations it had beforehand publicised.

It additionally related the prison proceedings to a separate civil go well with filed by some family members of the Offa theft victims towards the state authorities, its Attorney-General, Saraki and Ahmed, looking for compensation over the incident.

Despite the modification, Saraki’s media workplace mentioned the previous Senate President would proceed to problem the remaining costs, expressing confidence that they’d additionally fail in courtroom.

The improvement comes amid extended preliminary authorized proceedings which have stalled the substantive trial for the reason that case was instituted in April 2026.

The Offa theft came about on April 5, 2018, when armed males attacked a number of banks and a police station, killing 33 folks, together with 12 law enforcement officials and a pregnant girl.

Five principal suspects had been convicted and sentenced to loss of life in September 2024. The Court of Appeal upheld their convictions and sentences in January 2026.

Saraki’s media workplace added that the previous Senate President was presently in Offa, campaigning for Peoples (*18*) Party (PDP) candidates forward of the 2027 elections.

It mentioned the reception he had acquired from residents confirmed that they’d not accepted the allegations towards him.