’BANJ LOSES HIS 1 YEAR OLD SON, DANIEL D’THIRD

D!!! ’BANJ LOSES HIS 1 YEAR OLD SON, DANIEL D’THIRD

 

In a very sad turn of events, Nigerian singer Dbanj and his wife Lineo Didi Kilgrow have today lost their son Daniel.

The music star who arrived Los Angeles two days ago to attend the 2018 BET Awards is reported to have lost his only son, Daniel D’Third who celebrated his 1st birthday just one month ago.

According to insiders, Daniel reportedly drowned in a pool yesterday.

A quick check on D’banj’s Instagram page showed beautiful photos of his father and son moment with Daniel.

Lionel Messi makes shock Cristiano Ronaldo confession after World Cup struggles - report

Lionel Messi makes shock Cristiano Ronaldo confession after World Cup struggles - report

LIONEL MESSI has reportedly conceded his Argentina side are weaker than Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Lionel Messi missed a penalty in Argentina's draw with Iceland

Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines last night as his stunning hat-trick secured Portugal a 3-3 draw in their World Cup opener with Spain.

Lionel Messi failed to take his chance to make the back pages though as Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw with Iceland with the Barcelona talisman missing a penalty.

And Spanish publication Don Balon claim Messi is angry his chance of securing a sixth Ballon d’Or already appear to be slipping.

With five Ballon d’Or awards each to their name, both will be vying for a record sixth come the end of the year.

Messi won La Liga with Barcelona this season, while Ronaldo won a third consecutive Champions League title with Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi fluffed his lines against Iceland in Argentina's World Cup opener

The result of this year’s award winner could come down to whoever triumphs in the World Cup.

Don Balon say Messi is already conceding defeat in the battle to be crowned the world’s best player because he reportedly believes Portugal have a better team than Argentina.

Speaking after the match Messi said: “The truth is that we can not win the match, add up the three points.

“I think we deserved to win the match, but now it's to follow and think about what's next.

Lionel Messi's rival Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Spain

“It hurts to lose the penalty, because it would give us the advantage.

“And getting a difference changes the match, as did not happen in the first goal.

“But we could not keep because they drew fast.”

Messi’s Argentina next play Croatia on Thursday after Ronaldo’s Portugal play Morocco on Wednesday.

N1.126bn fraud: Court sentences ex-Gov Dariye to 14 years imprisonment

N1.126bn fraud: Court sentences ex-Gov Dariye to 14 years imprisonment

…..I am a victim, deceived by my bank– Dariye tells court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—-A High Court of Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Gudu, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced the former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye to 14 years imprisonment for diverting public funds to the tune of N1.126billion.

Senator Joshua Dariye

Dariye who was governor of Plateau State from 1999 to 2007 and the current Senator representing Plateau Central, was found guilty on 15 out of the 23-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

The court said it was satisfied that the defendant, being a public officer that had full dominion and control of ecological funds the Federal Government released to Plateau State in 2001, converted and diverted same for his personal use.

It held that the ex-governor criminally misappropriated funds and acted in violent breach of public trust and his oath of office.

Nevertheless, the court discharged and acquitted the ex-governor on 8-counts which it said was not sustained with sufficient evidence.

Dariye had before his sentence was announced by trial Justice Adebukola Banjoko, pleaded the court to temper justice with mercy, describing himself as a victim of circumstance.

In a plea of allocutus he made through his lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro, SAN, Dariye said he was deceived by his bank.

Erokoro insisted that his client who he said served his state diligently, became tainted owing to pervasive corruption in the public service.

“This man has suffered. We urge my lord to temper justice with mercy”, Erokoro pleaded, adding that case of his client was different from that of ex-governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame who was jailed 14years for stealing public funds.

However, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, urged the court to impose the maximum sanction, accusing Dariye of failing to show any remorse for the crime he committed.

“My lord should consider the conduct of the defendant who has stalled his trial since June 2007. Is he remorseful about what he has done? He is not! He has not shown any remorse. He still believes that he has not done anything wrong.

“The prisons are congested with the poor and those that cannot afford their daily meal, but the big men are not there!”.

Jacob’s urged the court to give a sentence capable of serving as a deterrent to other public office holders.

Irked by the submission, Dariye challenged EFCC’s lawyer, accusing him of deliberately inciting the court to take severe decision against him.

“You are not God! Your name is Jacob, as a Christian you should have mercy! You cannot predict my state of mind. Let’s not spoil tomorrow because of today. Can you raise your hand to swear there is a saint in Nigeria?”, Dariye bellowed from the dock.

In her verdict, Justice Banjoko said she was not persuaded by Dariye’s claim of being a victim.

Decrying what she termed as “brazen act of systematic looting” while the defendant held sway as the defendant, the Judge noted that Dariye was at a point, richer than his state.

While the court sentenced the defendant to 2years imprisonment on each of the counts bordering on misappropriation, he was handed 14 years for the counts involving criminal breach of trust.

The court held that the sentence would run concurrently, even as it directed EFCC to return all the funds it recovered in the course of the investigation into the coffers of Taraba State.

The court had earlier in the judgment that lasted over six hours, noted that following a Mutual Legal Assistance Request from the Metropolitan Police in London, it was uncovered that Dariye sequentially laundered funds from Nigeria into National West Ministers Bank in the United Kingdom, using an account he opened in the name of a fictitious firm.

It observed that a former detective with the Met Police, Mr. Peter Clarke who testified as the ninth prosecution witness, PW-9, during the trial, disclosed that Dariye wired funds from an account the fictitious firm- Ebenezer Rednar Ventures- operated with All States Trust Bank in Nigeria, into nine separate accounts he opened at Barclays Bank in London.

Clarke who led a team of Met police officers that arrested Dariye on September 28, 2004, had informed the court that a warrant of arrest that was issued against the ex-governor after he jumped bail in London and ran back to Nigeria to escape being prosecuted on money laundering charges, was still valid.

Justice Banjoko held that evidence before the court confirmed huge outflow of funds from the Plateau State treasury, into accounts Dariye operated with All States Bank and Lion Bank (now Diamond Bank), using the name of the fictitious firm.

Describing circumstances that surrounded the opening of the accounts as suspicious, as no picture was used in the opening mandate, the court stressed that signature of the ex-governor appeared in four places on the account opening documents.

It noted that admittance by All States Bank that it granted the defendant waiver to operate the account without the required mandate picture, led to prosecution and conviction of some of its key officials.

Justice Banjoko held that forensic analysis confirmed that signatures on the account operated in the name of Ebenezer Rednar Ventures belonged to Dariye.

She said the account was opened on December 19, 1999, without proper documentation and with false and untraceable address, observing that Dariye had in his statement before the London Police and the EFCC, admitted that Ebenezer is the name of one of his children.

“As at the time the account was opened on December 19, 1999, the defendant was still the governor of Plateau State. Wrong account opening form were used, details were falsified, all in a bid to conceal the identify of the true owner of the account”, the court held.

It noted that one Daniel Haruna who was the second signatory to the said account which was opened as if it belonged to an individual but operated as a corporate account, could not be located.

The court maintained that Dariye was “the face behind the mask” that operated the account, stressing that the defendant, being as a public servant, was not permitted by law to operate a foreign account.

“The court is satisfied that Ebenezer Rednar Ventures and Chief Dariye are one and the same person. The defendant is adequately capable of answering to any charge against the firm”.

Though Dariye had in two applications dated May 7 and June 7, 2001, used Plateau State to apply for a total of N3billion from the ecological fund, only about N1bn was approved for him.

The ex-governor was said to have personally collected the cheque from the Central Bank of Nigeria, on July 12, 2001.

EFCC, through its witnesses, told the court that the N1.126bn ecological fund meant for reclamation and rechannelization, was diverted into different private accounts by the defendant.

While reviewing the proof of evidence that was laid before the court, Justice Banjoko observed that the sum of N280m from the fund was said to have been shared to three beneficiaries, among whom included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who
allegedly received N100m through his firm, Marine Float.

A former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu was said to have also received N10m, even as EFCC told the court that whereas the money that was given to the ex-VP was for the North East wing of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the defendant equally donated N100m each to the South West and South East wings of the party on July 20, 2001, as well as N66m to the Plateau State chapter of the party to be shared to all the 274 wards in the state.

The anti-graft agency told the court that the N100m which was sent to PDP South West through a then Minister of Special Duties, Dr. Yomi Edu, was subsequently returned to Plateau State by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

While EFCC alleged that the defendant used N250m to purchase a property in London in September 2001 through the Chairman of Pinnacle Communications, Dariye however claimed that the fund was used to refurbish TV and Radio stations in the state.

Besides, Dariye was said to have bribed one Dr. Nkuma who was a Permanent Secretary at the Ecological fund office with N80m to facilitate the release of the fund to him.

Justice Banjoko held that Dariye failed to adduce any reasonable explanation for the funds he released to the ex-VP and the PDP.

The court said it was satisfied that Dariye was giulty of dishonest missaprropriation and criminal breach of trust.

It noted that out of the total ecological fund, only N550m was paid into the coffers of Plateau State following a hand written instruction the defendant gave to All States Trust Bank which he used to clear the cheque from CBN.

Though the court held that EFCC could not establish that Dariye used N250m to acquire a flat in London, it however found the defendant guilty of illegally using funds meant for ecological project for other purpose.

The Met Police had through its ex-investigator, Clarke, told the trial court that Dariye was arrested with his personal assistant, Christabel Bentu, in a hotel in London.

Clarke said Dariye’s arrest and subsequent detention was a fallout of an investigation into a credit card fraud involving one Christopher McQuiney who he said was caught with 11, 500.00 pounds concealed in a brief case.

The former Met investigator told the court that McQuiney, who was arrested and taken to a police station in North East London, confessed that the money belonged to his boss, Dariye.

Dariye’s request for Clarke to be recalled to the witness box during his defence was declined by the court.

EFCC closed its case against the defendant after it called 10 witnesses that testified before the court, even as the defendant called a total of 16 witnesses to defend the charge against him.

Dariye had earlier lost his bid to disqualify Justice Banjoko from presiding over his trial.

He had in a petition to the Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello, alleged that the trial judge had on several occasions, openly exhibited “manifest and undisguised bias’’ against him.

Aside asking Justice Banjoko to disqualify herself from further presiding over the trial, the defendant prayed the CJ to transfer the case-file to another court, a request that was refused.

Dariye had also failed to persuade both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court to quash the charge against him.

Buhari has declared results of June 12, 1993 election’

‘Buhari has declared results of June 12, 1993 election’

• Oshiomhole okays June 12 as Democracy Day 
The Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has said President Muhammadu Buhari, by his proclamation, has announced the results of the annulled June 12, 1993 elections and declared Generals Ibrahim Babaginda and Olusegun Obasanjo as enemies of democracy.

Okechukwu, who spoke to journalists during a festival in his Eke hometown in Enugu State at the weekend, faulted the call by the Senate for the declaration of the results, saying the profound proclamation was the result declaration awaited for 25 years.

On the claim by renowned jurist, Justice Belgore that the President violated the law, Okechukwu said a renowned legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN), also read sections of the law and said the president did not violate it

Meanwhile, former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomole, has lauded the decision to declare June 12 as Democracy Day.

He faulted the idea of celebrating the day on May 29 which was the date former President Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in for his first term in office in 1999.

Oshiomhole, an All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairmanship aspirant, told reporters at the opening of his campaign headquarters in Abuja,
that the June 12, 1993 when former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, annulled the freest and fairest presidential election widely believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola ought to have been set aside as the date to celebrate democracy.

The former governor commended President Buhari for the decision to also confer a posthumous award on the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, noting it would serve as an inspiration to future generation of Nigerians to push for a fair and just society.

“We should salute the president for his statesmanship. There are many things he has done over the past three years that are outstanding. His bold decision to acknowledge that June 12 cannot be wished away should be commended.

“He deserves commendation across party divides because, for the 14 million people who voted, the annulment was a huge shock and serious pain. So, for Buhari to acknowledge Abiola in the manner that he did and confer on him posthumously an award meant for people who are presidents mean that he has settled the question,” Oshiomhole said.

Abiola’s son opens up: I asked Obasanjo to honour my father

Abiola’s son opens up: I asked Obasanjo to honour my father

•Even in death MKO has many enemies
•President Buhari is a special person
•Jonathan had good intention by honouring MKO
•How Abacha sent news of mum’s death to dad in prison

BY CHARLES KUMOLU, Deputy Features Editor

ALHAJI Jamiu Abiola, son of the late presumed winner of June 12 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, in this interview, speaks on the honour bestowed on his father, untold stories of his incarceration and his father’s enemies among others. Jamiu, who is the third child of the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, also spoke on the roles of certain actors in the June 12 saga. Before the latest immortalisation of his father, he had authored two books on Abiola’s mandate, The Stolen Presidency and The President Who Never Ruled.

Excerpts:

You wrote a book, The President Who Never Ruled about your late father, Chief MKO Abiola a few years ago. Today, the award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, to your father seems to have brought some of your wishes in the book to reality. How do you feel?

Abiola

Right now I can say that I am the happiest man, not just literally, but factually. I am the happiest man because for so long I felt that my parents died for nothing because there is nothing worse than somebody making a sacrifice and the sacrifice not recognised. It was recognised by Nigerians but those that got power after June 12 found it convenient to sweep it under the carpet for reasons best known to them. Initially, I was almost getting frustrated because some people were trying to rewrite history by ignoring my father. This is not the first time that a great man has been treated the way my father was treated.

For example, Julius Caeser did a lot for the Roman Empire. He went around conquering nations and building empires but the elite in Rome conspired and killed him. That is why I want everybody in Nigeria to give special respect to President Buhari. He is very fantastic. I am not flattering him because that is the truth. Some say that the truth is bitter, but in this case, the truth is sweet about President Muhammadu Buhari.

In this case, he is not only a good person but a perfect person. He is not a Yoruba man. He is from Katsina and has proven that he is more detribalised than any other Nigerian. He is of the same calibre with people like Mandela and Chief Abiola. Now he has shown that it is not about where anyone comes from, but about the fact that we are one. That is the symbolic meaning of what he has done.

25 years ago the election was held and nobody that got to power did what he has done. President Goodluck Jonathan tried by naming the University of Lagos after him but people felt that, UNILAG was too small for Chief Abiola. I was very happy when he did it because I believe that if someone is going somewhere, he must start from somewhere.

This honour bestowed on your father came 48 hours after the commemoration of the death of your mother, the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, who also died in the struggle. What can you say about the coincidence?

MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola are one. This struggle is like teamwork. When MKO Abiola was arrested, his role in the struggle became limited. He was now fighting an internal struggle because at that time he was in solitary confinement. But the struggle was led by a woman who was 44 years old at that time. She was the one that led the struggle against the military which was the most powerful mafia at that time because they had wealth, power and other resources at their disposal. She did not give up. I called her several times when I was in America to quit the struggle because she would die.

I told her to take things easy. I told her to come to America. Her response was ‘’how can I leave when my husband is here.” Unfortunately, she got killed. I am so grateful that the American city of New York named a street after her. That was something that had never been done to any African in America other than Mandela. Even my father did not get that honour. The 44th Street in New York was named after her.

Another book you wrote about your father is The Stolen Presidency. In it, you also revealed some of the intrigues that contributed to the fate that befell your father. In that book, you stated the honours that your father deserved including this honour bestowed on him by President Buhari. What informed that?

“The President Who Never Ruled” and “The Stolen Mandate” were the most difficult tasks I have undertaken in my life because I experienced psychological trauma. What made it more dramatic was that after writing it in English, I translated it into Arabic. I did that so that people in the Arab world will know that Africa can actually produce quality and sacrifice. I wanted them to also know that Africans are not just barbaric. I wrote the book because I realised that Abiola’s name was going and nobody wanted to recognise him.

When I wrote the book, I dedicated it to President Youri Museveni and President Nelson Mandela for supporting my father, President Moshood Abiola when he was incarcerated. I referred to him as President Abiola in the book. It was in 2015. I gave the book to President Buhari, who had not become President then. I gave the book to Obasanjo and others. Some people called me after reading the book to ask if I was not scared of my life.

They said those who destroyed my father were still alive and I said the truth the way it was in the book. My response was that having lost my parents, even if I die for saying the truth about what happened to him, the struggle would continue. However, I did not have the premonition that he would eventually be given GCFR. I did it because as the son of Cheif MKO Abiola I owed him an obligation so that people will understand his story. I am happy that some of the things I said in the book have happened.

I actually said that the only good thing Abacha did in office was to appoint Gen Buhari as the Chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund,PTF. At that time, there was no thought of Buhari doing something like this. I was just trying to be objective. Nigerians should respect and thank President Buhari.

How do you feel that Obasanjo, who was Abiola’s schoolmate, was in power for eight years without honouring Abiola, who was even his school mate?

When Obasanjo was the President, I visited him several times and called him several times. He also called me. Even when I wrote my first book, he did a fantastic review of the book and said the book gave people hope. There was a time I sent him a text message when he was President, telling him that peoples’ impression about his failure to honour Abiola was because he did not like him. Unfortunately, he did not do it. When I wrote the second book on my father, I gave him the book. I am sure he read it. All I have done for my father were not for a favour. They are the things I am supposed to do as a son. I saw it as an obligation. I will also want my son to do so for me.

Don’t you think you are biased?

Anybody that feels I am biased about my father should write his own book. I have to be biased because I did not come to this world by accident. These were the people that brought me to this world.

When Jonathan named UNILAG after MKO Abiola a lot of people thought it was a big honour, but it was opposed. Jonathan later succumbed to pressure. How did you feel when it happened?

Half a loaf of bread is better than none. President Jonathan did what he did because he had good intention. Unfortunately, MKO Abiola has a lot of enemies, who claim to be his friends. Those were the people causing the problem. Imagine a President of Nigeria making a statement and less than five minutes later, people were in BRT Buses protesting against the announcement. They were on Third Mainland Bridge causing problems. How were they mobilised?

A lot of people, who did not want Jonathan to have goodwill in the Southwest, opposed it. That is to show that MKO Abiola was so powerful that even in death, he has so many enemies. That is why I said we have to thank President Buhari specially. I am not saying he is angelic but he should be supported to excel.

There are insinuations that this honour is a political missile targeted at Obasanjo, and other former leaders, who have spoken against the president’s re-election bid?

Even before MKO Abiola ran for the presidency, some people said he was just being generous because he wanted to become President. People will always say what they want to say. What President Buhari has done is an indication of the fact that he is a great man. Because he is a great man, people will love or hate whatever he did. Those of us who know the truth understand that if he was not a good man, he would not have done what he did. Some people have the political advantage of doing that but they did not do it. We are not looking at it in a way that he wants to score political points. It is better late than never.

Since the honour on your dad was announced, some are of the opinion that he should be named a posthumous President. The way people are talking seems as if many people are now scrambling to take glory in the imortalisation of MKO Abiola. Do you see it in that way?

This is Africa where many bad things overshadow good things. But when good things happen in Africa they have spiral effects. Those talking now are just doing the right thing. I am not seeing it that anybody is scrambling for anything. They are politicians but a lot of people don’t trust politicians in this country. Sometimes they do things because they actually want to do them for a good reason. It is important we give them the benefit of the doubt so that we can come together and solve the problems of this country. If we don’t come together to do the right thing, we may never get it right.

If you find yourself with Obasanjo and other leaders, who played roles in the June 12 saga in a common room, what will you discuss with them as the son of MKO Abiola?

The wise people in this world have always said that it is good to find a middle ground. I will find what I have in common with them and discuss. We have to focus on good things.

Today, June 8, 2018, is very symbolic. As I am interviewing you now, the Abachas are observing the anniversary of their father’s death. Considering that the incarceration of your father for five years was among the factors believed to be instrumental in his death, have you forgiven the Abacha family?

If I have not forgiven Abacha, the fact that I cannot do any harm to any of them means that my forgiveness is inconsequential. It is so complicated that I cannot say, yellow, blue or black. The most important thing is that if somebody is down, there is no point pushing the person down. Today, when people talk about Abacha is it not about looting? Unfortunately for Abacha even if he earned a legitimate living, nobody is talking about that now. All people are saying is Abacha loot. So, Abacha is already finished. What can I say about somebody in that situation? Now, everybody is talking about MKO Abiola. God has settled everything.

On MKO Abiola’s sacrifice

You will never know who you are until you get to a position where you can do whatever you want to do. A man can be nice but when he becomes rich, his true colours will manifest. Before my father became rich he was a businessman. He was into profit-making. The last time I saw him in 1995, Abacha asked one policeman to bring him to where we were. That was after we waited for three days. Before I saw him, the policeman said I should tell my father to forget about the struggle and move on with his life. He said we should beg him to forget about it because he didn’t want him to die.

He even said my father was nice to them before he was incarcerated. When he came and sat down with us, we asked him how he was doing and his response was ‘’me, I am doing fine.” We then asked him how he was going about his insistence on his mandate, he said, “I am ready to die.” When he said that, the policeman was disappointed.

My father said Nigerians were suffering adding that Abacha did not allow his doctor to see him. He also said they put him in a Black Maria. That was in 1995 when he had spent one year in detention. This was a man who would go to London twice weekly. His pilot and his crew lived in Sheraton. Sometimes he would fly to Paris to have his Rolls Royce so that he could drive to London to have a rest. He lived the highest life ever since 1975 until he was arrested. He was living in London and living in Nigeria. Sometimes, he would go to America and would leave after spending five hours.

During our visit, I reminded him that he once told me that if somebody was holding a sword and if I try taking the sword by force, I would get hurt. I also reminded him that he said that it was good to take the sword gently. He responded that he had taken the sword by the handle, adding that if they stabbed him, that was their business. He was not a shallow man. That was why he was doing so many things. He said he would not accept the position of a Prime Minister from Abacha.

They would have shared the government but he said he would not do it, saying that Abacha was very greedy. He said he didn’t want anyone that would soil his name. Abacha wanted to kill everything about him to the extent that a newspaper report of my mother’s death was given to him the next day.

Police: Saraki, Ahmed indicted for Offa robbery

Police: Saraki, Ahmed indicted for Offa robbery

Senate President: it’s plot to embarrass me

I’ve no link with suspects, says governor

SENATE President Bukola Saraki is to be questioned by the police for alleged criminal indictment by five suspected gangsters involved in the April 5 bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State.

He has been told to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office in Guzape, Abuja, to clear the air on the allegations against him.

“Senate President Bukola Saraki is being invited to report to the Police to answer allegations indicting him from confessionsof five gang leaders arrested for active participation in the Offa bank robbery and the killing of 33 innocent persons,” Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, an assistant commissioner, said yesterday.

Giving an update on the investigation yesterday, Moshood said five of the suspects confessed  that they were political thugs used by the senate president and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The governor has denied any involvement as alleged.

The five suspects Are: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.

“Ogunleye confessed to killing two persons, Abraham killed five persons, Azeez and Ogundiran killed two persons each during the robbery”, the police said.

The robbers attacked five commercial banks, one microfinance bank and a police station. They killed 33 persons, including nine policemen and an expectant woman during the robbery.

Twenty two suspects are in the police net.

Among those being questioned, according to Moshood, are: Michael Adikwu, who the police described as a sectional gang leader, who killed 22 persons, mostly at the police station,   Kabiru Afolabi,    Omoseni Kassim, Kayode Opadokun, Kazeem Abdulrasheed, Azeez Abdullahi,   Adewale Popoola,  Adetoyese Muftau, Alexander Reuben,  Richard Buba Terry,   Peter Jasper Kuunfa,   Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji, Moses Godwin,    Adeola Omiyale and  Femi Idowu.

“The five gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name ‘Youth Liberation Movement, a.k.a Good Boys’,” Moshood said, adding that the boys admitted to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by Saraki and Ahmed.”

Moshood said the suspects were grabbed following the arrest of two principal suspects, Kunle Ogunleye, known as “Arrow” and Michael Adikwu, an ex-convict.

“The two principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five gang leaders to carry out the Offa bank robbery,” he said.

He alleged that in the course of investigation, a Lexus GX-300 with a sticker number plate with the inscription “SARAKI” used by the gang leader, Ayoade Akinnibosun, was recovered.

He said the vehicle was taken to the Government House, Ilorin on May 16 where the number plate was removed and replaced with another, Kwara, KMA 143 RM.

“The exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Ilorin, Kwara,” he added.

Moshood said the sticker number plate removed from the vehicle was recovered from Adeola Omiyale who drove the vehicle to the Government House in Ilorin immediately after the bank robbery.

He said millions of naira and 21 AK47 rifles belonging to the police in Offa were admitted to have been carted away during the bank robbery.

Moshood listed items recovered from the suspects as including: “Two AK47 Rifles, Two Barrette Pistols, One Pump Action Rifle,   One Revolver Pistol – In Police Custody in Ilorin, Lexus RX300 Jeep with Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (gang leader) – used for the bank robbery, Mercedes Benz – Compressor with Reg. No. Lagos LT496 KJA belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (gang leader) – 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 – in police custody in Ilorin.

Other items are: “One Toyota Camry Saloon Car with Reg. No. LRN 481 FE – in police custody in Ilorin, N600,000.00 – in police custody in Ilorin, four phones of victims recovered, one sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony”

Moshood alleged that the Personal Assistant (Political) to the Kwara Governor, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, had also been arrested for concealing information from the police.

Also arrested is the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab.

According to him, Olalekan who was privy to information that the police were looking for the vehicle, directed Adeola Omiyale to relocate it to the Government House.

“The PA is currently in police custody and has made useful statements assisting the police in further investigation into the case,” he said.

He said that a revolver pistol and a pump action gun were recovered by the police investigation team from Olalekan’s farm where he directed his brother to hide them.

The spokesman said 22 suspects involved in the bank robbery were in police custody.

He said efforts were being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and all suspects involved would be arraigned in court for prosecution on completion of investigation.

He said that the police would continue to ensure that the rule of law prevailed in every case under police investigation and offenders were brought to justice.

I have no link with criminals, says Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday denied any links with the criminal elements, who robbed banks in Offa and killed 33 people.

He however said he would visit the police after receiving a formal invitation.

Saraki’s position is contained in a statement last night by his spokesman Yusuph Olaniyonu, who described his invitation as “part of the plan to abuse of the criminal investigation process aimed at intimidating and over-overawing the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work”.

The statement said: “Dr. 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.

“Let it be known that there is no way I could have been associated with armed robbery against my people. When 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.

“Members 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.

“This 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 by me, for him to come and offer explanations on the rampant killings and violence across the country.

“Like the earlier one, this frame-up will also fail as I hereby state categorically that I have no link with any band of criminals.

“As 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.

“It 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 “.