Offa bank robbery: We killed eleven persons hauling stones at us - Suspects

 

A shocking revelation emerged on April 5, 2018, Offa bloody bank robbery on Wednesday, when suspects told a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, how they killed about eleven persons in the robbery operation.

The suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Azeez Salawu, and Niyi Ogundare, have been on trial since their arrest.

Counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Jacob, at the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, called the seventh witness, one John Nwoke, a police inspector attached to the Police Force Public Relations unit, Abuja.

Nwoke, presented a DVD video to the open court containing the confessional statements of the suspects.

One of the suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, said “They shot dead eleven persons who were hauling stones and other missiles at them.”

Akinnibosun narrated how a dismissed police officer, Michael Adikwu, now deceased, sold the robbery idea to him, adding that he in turn conscripted his other four accomplices to the deal.

Akinnibosun, who claimed to be the ring leader in the video, revealed that he owned the two vehicles used in the bloody robbery operation.

He said, “One of the vehicles, a Lexus sport utility vehicle, SUV, was given to me as an empowerment by the then Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, as the leader of political liberation movement in Kwara South.

“I came into contact with the dismissed policeman, Adikwu through a revenue collection staff, after meeting with him, I relayed to Ibikunle Ogunleye, who also relayed the same to Adeola Abraham, otherwise known as ‘Adex’.

“Azeez Salawu and Niyi Ogundare, are both mechanics; on the fateful day of April 5, 2018, we, the five of us moved from Oro, Irepodun Local Government Area of the state to Ajasse-Ipo, where we parked the SUV under a tree and we all drove in the Mercedes Benz to Offa.

“At Offa, we parked in front of the Total filling station, where late Adikwu was waiting for us in a black Audi car.

“There was also a Nissan Primera car parked in front of us at the Total filling station where some other people that came with Adikwu were waiting.

“Shortly, thereafter, Adikwu handed over a sack to me containing five AK-47 rifles and as the commander of my gang, I distributed the guns and directed every member to take his position.

“I positioned myself at the roundabout leading to Igosun from Offa.

“After the robbery, Adikwu (the deceased) did not give us a dime, he only promised to call me when it is time to share the loot.

“Then we all hurriedly left the community, on getting to Ijagbo, Oyun LGA, our vehicle stretched to a halt awaiting Adikwu who came and collected the five AK-47 rifles from me.”

Akinnibosun said he got the Lexus car because he used to mobilize people for election in the state and that the car had not gotten a number plate before his arrest, adding that “I was using the sticker of the then Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki as the number plate.

“This is because he was the political leader of the state.”

Ibikunle Ogunleye, on his part, while speaking as the second defendant, revealed that he was traditionally positioned at the First Bank premises in Offa metropolis, before Adikwu dragged him to come along to the Offa police station.

He confessed that he shot two people dead who were trying to escape at the gate of the police station.

Ogunleye said Adikwu and his gang fired many shots at the police station, killing scores of policemen in the operation.

Adikwu, on entering the station, announced that the police relieved him of his job, but, “I have come on a revenge mission, and handed over 10 AK-47 rifles taken from the armoury to me,” adding that “I took them into his Audi car.”

Abraham and Salawu Ogundiran also confessed to have shot five and two persons dead, respectively, to prevent being stoned to death by public members.

The trial judge, Haleemah Salman, adjourned the case till March 15,2021 for continuation of hearing.