By Emmanuella Opara | November 9th 2026
KEY POINTS
- Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused the Kwara State Government of abusing the judicial process after withdrawing 18 of the 20 charges filed against him and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
- The withdrawn counts included allegations of armed robbery, culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms linked to the 2018 Offa bank robbery.
- Two charges relating to alleged membership of a gang of thieves and the disappearance of a vehicle remain.
- Saraki says his lawyers will challenge the remaining charges in court.
MAIN STORY
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused the Kwara State Government of abusing its prosecutorial powers following its decision to withdraw 18 of the 20 charges filed against him and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over the 2018 Offa bank robbery.
Saraki, through his media office, described the amendment of the charge sheet as evidence that the allegations against the former governors lacked a credible factual basis. He also maintained that the two remaining charges would not withstand judicial scrutiny.
In a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, the former Senate President said the withdrawn charges included allegations of armed robbery, causing the deaths of police officers and illegal possession of firearms.
The two remaining counts reportedly accuse Saraki and Ahmed of conspiring to belong to a gang of thieves and being members of the group. They also relate to allegations that the former governors concealed or caused the disappearance of a vehicle allegedly used for illegal activities.
The original 20-count charge, filed by the state government in April 2026, also named two former aides, Yusuf Abdulwahab and Alabi Olalekan. It included allegations of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The prosecution linked the allegations to the April 5, 2018 attack on several banks in Offa, Kwara State. The original charge sheet alleged that the defendants conspired to rob branches of Guarantee Trust Bank, First Bank, Ecobank and Union Bank, as well as Zenith Bank, using firearms and explosives.
Reacting to the withdrawal, Saraki’s media office said, “Both charges and 16 others with such ridiculous claims were dropped obviously because the government saw through the futility of the attempts to rope in Saraki and Ahmed and the fact that the charges lack any credible or factual basis.”
The statement further accused the state government of undermining the justice system through the prosecution, describing the amendment as an abuse of power.
Saraki’s media office also alleged that the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had used the case to damage the reputations of his predecessors ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It claimed that the state government had spent close to N100m advertising its allegations against the former governors in national newspapers earlier in the year, describing the expenditure as a waste of public funds that could have been directed towards public projects.
The statement also linked the prosecution to Saraki’s political activities, arguing that the charges were filed during an election year to discredit him.
The latest development came as Saraki was visiting Offa and other communities in Kwara South to campaign for Peoples Democratic Party candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former Senate President had previously denied any involvement in the robbery. His name first came up in connection with the incident after police invited him for questioning following claims that some arrested suspects had implicated him.
In rejecting the allegations, Saraki had also cited two legal opinions issued by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in June and August 2018, which he said found no evidence linking him to the robbery.
He subsequently accused Governor Abdulrazaq of using the case for political purposes and embarrassing his administration.
Saraki’s media office said his lawyers would challenge the remaining charges in court, insisting that the amended case would also collapse.
THE ISSUES
The withdrawal of 18 charges changes the scope of the prosecution against the former governors, removing some of the most serious allegations contained in the original charge sheet.
However, the two remaining counts mean the legal proceedings are not over. The allegations against Saraki and Ahmed have yet to be resolved by the court, and the withdrawal of the other charges does not amount to a judicial determination of their innocence.
The dispute also carries political implications, given Saraki’s allegations that the prosecution is connected to the contest ahead of the 2027 elections.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“The amendment to the charge sheet only reveals that there was no case against these gentlemen from the beginning and what the state government is indulging in is abuse of powers, a travesty of the justice system, and mockery of the prosecutorial powers of the state,” Saraki’s media office said.
WHAT’S NEXT
Saraki’s lawyers are expected to challenge the two remaining charges in court. The proceedings will determine how the amended case against the former Senate President and the former governor progresses.
BOTTOM LINE
The Kwara State Government’s withdrawal of 18 charges has significantly narrowed the case against Saraki and Ahmed, but two allegations remain before the court. Saraki has described the prosecution as politically motivated, while the outstanding charges leave the legal dispute unresolved.
