Inspector-general of police orders Saraki to be served with court summons over his role in Offa robbery

INSPERCTOR-general of police Ibrahim Idris has directed that the court summons against senate president Senator Bukola Saraki regarding the ongoing investigation into the April 5 bank robbery incident in Offa be served on him immediately.

Last month, Mr Idris had 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. Later, the senate president was asked to only send in a report about his knowledge of that happened and clear his name about allegations that he provided the robbers with vehicles and weapons.

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.

Yesterday, Mr Idris asked a unit within the Nigeria Police Force’s (NPF) legal department, to ensure the prompt delivery of the court processes on Senator Saraki before the next court date, of October 3. On Monday, at the Grade One Area Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, prosecution lawyer ES Marcus conveyed Mr Idris's directive at the resumed proceedings in a criminal complaint made against Senator Saraki by an Abuja-based lawyer Oluwatosin Ojaomo.

The judge had summoned Mr Idris to attend court on September 17 to show cause why Senator Saraki was absent in court and what efforts he had made to ensure his appearance. On Monday, Mr Marcus told the court that although Mr Idris and Senator Saraki were absent in court, he was informed by a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in the legal unit of the NPF that the inspector-general of police had directed a unit to ensure the delivery of all processes in relation to the case on Senator Saraki.

Mr Marcus said: “At the last date, the court issued a witness summons on the inspector-general; of police to come and show cause why the police failed to effect service of the criminal summons, warrant of arrest and other processes on the defendant. The witness summons was served on the Nigeria Police Force by the court’s registry.

“However, we received a call from DSP Mahmoud of the legal department of the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, that the matter has been assigned by the inspector-general of police to a particular unit of the NPF to effect the service of the summons on the defendant and arrest him.”

He urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the police effect service of the processes on the defendant. Justice Ogbede consequently adjourned the case until October 3.