Former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has engaged Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq over fresh attempts to implicate him in the 2018 Offa armed robbery incident.
Saraki described the move as “frivolous, politically motivated, and an abuse of judicial process.”
In a lengthy statement, Saraki said he had no direct or indirect involvement in the robbery, which left multiple casualties in Offa community eight years ago.
He alleged that the case was originally weaponized under the Buhari administration in 2019 as a tool of blackmail to wrest political control from his camp.
Legal Background
Saraki emphasized that the case had already been investigated by the Nigeria Police Force under the Inspector General of Police.
Following the probe, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation issued two separate legal opinions — dated June 22 and August 23, 2018.
Both of the legal opinions cleared him of any wrongdoing.
The DPP’s advice stated that there was “no evidence directly or indirectly linking” Saraki to the robbery.
Four suspects were subsequently charged, convicted, and had their sentences upheld by the appellate court. The matter is currently before the Supreme Court.
Political Motives Alleged
Saraki accused Governor Abdulrazaq of reviving the case after his recent interview on Channels TV, where he criticized the state government’s handling of insecurity.
He claimed the governor deliberately concealed the DPP reports while circulating “frivolous charges” and skewed documents as paid advertisements in national newspapers.
“These are deliberate efforts to mislead the media and induce them to give purchased publicity to the frame-up,” Saraki said.
He added that the governor had previously tried to persuade families of the victims to initiate civil litigation against him, but those efforts collapsed.
Attack on Governance
Saraki described the governor’s actions as “dirty politics taken too far and too low”.
He argued that accusing two immediate predecessors of armed robbery demeans the office of governor.
“A sitting governor who is accusing his two immediate predecessors of armed robbery is only making a mockery of the institution.
“He is only taking the governorship of our dear state to the gutter,” Saraki declared.
He further criticized Abdulrazaq’s record on security, noting that Kwara State had lost over 400 lives to banditry between January 2025 and March 2026.
Meanwhile, more than 100 kidnappings took place during the same period.
“Instead of focusing on taming the menace, he is fixated on filing frivolous charges against his predecessors,” Saraki said.
Education and Leadership
In one of his sharpest criticisms, Saraki suggested that the governor’s educational background was affecting his judgment.
“For a man who never completed secondary school education, it is difficult for him to appreciate the issues involved in any matter.
“His level of education is definitely affecting his judgment,” he remarked.
Despite the renewed allegations, Saraki expressed confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.
“I believe the judiciary will always sort out the chaff from the wheat in the various cases before it.
“My legal team have been fully briefed and I know this case against me will collapse like a pack of cards,” he said.
Analysts say the controversy highlights the deep political divisions in Kwara State, where Saraki’s influence has long been contested.
The renewed accusations could intensify tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
In the meantime, Saraki insists the governor’s actions are a desperate attempt to distract from his poor record on security and governance.
