Offa robbery: Witness narrates how DCP Kyari ‘tortured suspects to implicate Saraki’

 

Shamaudeen Bada, former vice-chairman of Irepodun LGA, Kwara, has told a high court in the state that suspects were tortured to implicate Bukola Saraki, former senate president, in the Offa robbery incident.

 

The robbery, which took place on April 5, 2018, resulted in 33 fatalities, including pregnant women and 12 police officers.

 

Those standing trial are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.

 

Testifying as a witness during the court session on Thursday, he said men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the IGP led by Abba Kyari, suspended deputy commissioner of police, tortured them to implicate Saraki.

 

The witness said while in detention, the IRT operatives promised them freedom if they claimed Saraki was their sponsor.

 

He said one of the suspects, Akinrinbosun, was shot in the leg when he declined to indict Saraki.

 

“After he was shot, I became very nervous, depressed and my health started deteriorating,” he narrated.

 

 “DCP Abba Kyari brought some nurses to treat me. Before I was eventually released, the police officers gave me conditions before I was released that I must not grant any press interview, I must not go to court, and I should quit politics.”

 

The witness also alleged that the police officers told him that “you these Kwara boys, we will show you shege. We will take Kwara from your leader, Saraki”.

 

While testifying during a trial-within-trial in 2019, Akinrinbosun had also told the court that Kyari asked him and the other accused persons to implicate Saraki.