Offa bank robbery: Saraki breaks silence as Kwara drops 18 charges against him

The charges stem from the tragic 2018 Offa bank robbery, which saw coordinated attacks on multiple commercial banks and resulted in the deaths of several police officers.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki argued that abandoning the majority of the original 20-count charge sheet, including high-profile allegations of armed robbery, homicide, and illegal firearm possession, is a tacit admission that the initial accusations were entirely baseless.

While dropping the primary violent crime counts, the state government has retained two modified charges.

These alleged that Saraki and Ahmed conspired to belong to a gang of thieves and concealed or caused the disappearance of a vehicle allegedly used in the commission of the crimes.

Saraki’s camp has dismissed the amended charges as a political facade, asserting that the state administration is utilising the judicial system to tarnish his reputation and damage the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The statement further claimed that the state government wasted nearly ₦100m of public funds earlier in the year on national newspaper advertisements promoting the allegations, resources that could have otherwise funded community development projects.

This latest legal twist revives long-standing political friction in Kwara State. Following the 2018 tragedy, police questioned Saraki after certain suspects allegedly implicated him, though he vehemently denied any connection.

The controversy was reignited in April 2026 when fresh multi-count charges were filed against Saraki, Ahmed, and former aides Yusuf Abdulwahab and Alabi Olalekan.

Saraki has consistently maintained his innocence, pointing to previous legal opinions issued by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in 2018 that cleared him of any involvement.

As Saraki continues campaigning across Kwara South for PDP candidates, his legal representatives have vowed to vigorously challenge the remaining charges in court, expressing absolute confidence that the amended case will collapse under judicial scrutiny.