Joseph Bakare
The Nigeria Police, on Wednesday said it had not stepped down its invitation to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to report to its office over alleged criminal indictment by five suspected gang leaders involved in the recent Offa bank robbery.
Saraki had twitted on his Twitter handle that the police had withdrawn the invitation for him to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office in Guzape, Abuja.
He also said that the police had asked him to respond to the questions in writing.
But in a swift reaction, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Jimoh Moshood, said while briefing newsmen that, “The Senate president is still under investigation in connection to the Offa bank robbery and the police will do everything possible to ensure that justice is done in this case.”
The spokesman said that there was no deadline for Saraki to report to the police.
Moshood was also evasive from the possible action the police would take if Saraki failed to report to the police.
He said that the force would not be cowed or succumb to intimidation from any quarter in carrying out discreet investigation on the matter.
Moshood said that two out of the three more suspected thugs working for Saraki, mentioned by the overall gang leader of the Offa bank robbery have been arrested.
The suspects are: Alhaji Kehinde Gobiri, 47, a.k.a. Captain and Oba Shuaib Olododo, 57, a.k.a Jawando, from Ilorin East and South Local Government Areas respectively.
He said that the suspects, who have admitted to the various crimes they have committed, are currently in police custody in Ilorin, Kwara State.
“They are currently under investigation and will be charged to court on completion of investigation,” he said.
Moshood said that the arrest of the two suspects followed further confessions of the five gang leaders earlier arrested by the police.
The five suspects are: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.
Moshood said that the two suspects were also arrested with fire arms in the custody of the police in Ilorin.
Saraki had recently alleged plot by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, to implicate him in a criminal case.