The police have denied media reports that it withdrew the invitation to Bukola Saraki, Senate President to appear before the Force Intelligence Response Team, in Abuja, clear himself of the allegations of involvement in Offa banks robbery and the gruesome killings of over 33 people in Kwara State by some political thugs loyal to him.
According to the police, the claim by the Senate President that the invitation to him had been withdrawn was not true.
The development came as leader of the suspected gang that carried out the operations, Ayoade Akinnibosun, disclosed on Wednesday, that the Senate President was not aware of their dastardly acts contrary to insinuation to that effect.
Jimoh Moshood, Police Public Relations Officer, at a press briefing where he re-paraded the Offa banks robbery suspects, added that Saraki going by confessional statements obtained from the suspects was culpable in the robbery and killings and therefore, has case to answer.
But he did not give deadline to the Senate President to appear before the police investigation team even as he remained evasive on possible action against the Senate President if he fails to appear as directed.
Moshood, who disclosed that two more suspects in the robbery have been arrested and have made confessional statements in custody, where they are being held implicating the Senate President in the robbery incident.
In a veiled response to accusation from the National Assembly that Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police, was framing perceived opponents of President Muhammadu Buhari with criminal cases and consequent vote of no confidence on the police boss onTuesday, Moshood said the police will not be cowed or succumb to intimidation from any quarter.
“The Nigeria Police Force will not be cowed or succumb to intimidation from any quarter in carrying out a thorough and discreet investigation into the Offa banks robbery where significant successes have been recorded.
“The ongoing investigation will be driven to a logical conclusion. “Meanwhile, the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki is still under investigation in connection to the Offa banks robbery and the Nigeria Police Force will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to ensure that justice is done in this case.” He said
Meanwhile, the leader of the suspected gang, Ayoade Akinnibosun, told journalists that the Senate President was not aware of their dastardly acts, saying they were merely political thugs of both the Senate President and the Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.