DSS partially restores Saraki's security detail withdrawn following his indictment in Offa bank robbery

DEPARTMENT of State Services (DSS) officials have partially restored the security detail of senate president Senator Bukola Saraki after his operatives were withdrawn yesterday following his indictment in the April Offa bank robbery.

Over the weekend, the inspector-general of police Ibrahim Idris, asked Senator Saraki to report to police headquarters for questioning after some of the robbers arrested following the gruesome Offa attack said he was their sponsor. In one of the most gruesome armed robberies ever witnessed in Nigeria, a gang of hoodlums ransacked Offa on April 5, attacking several banks and killing 33 people in the process.

Since then, the police have swung into action, arresting dozens of the robbers and under interrogation, some of them have confessed that they were originally hired by Senator Saraki. It appears that the senate president hired them as his political thugs, arming them and using them to curtail opponents but the hoodlums then decided to take things further by graduating to bank robbery.

As a result of the ongoing saga, the DSS withdrew Senator Saraki's security detail, along with that of Hon Yakubu Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives. It is not clear why Hon Dogara was affected but in response to criticism of the move, which has been described as political victimisation by the executive, the DSS partially returned some of its operatives.

Yesterday, the DSS withdrew nearly two-thirds of personal security guards attached to Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara. Today, about five of the operatives have been returned and it is not yet clear if the others will be asked to resume duty too.