The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of politicising the 2018 Offa robbery case, alleging that the move is aimed at targeting former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The opposition party said it was shocked by reports of plans to reopen an “already concluded judicial process”, insisting that Saraki had not been served with any court papers.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, the party’s publicity secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said the development appeared to be politically motivated.
According to him, the alleged move followed Saraki’s recent appearance on television where he criticised the state government over insecurity.
“It is not surprising that the governor has resorted to resurrecting a painful national tragedy for cheap political gains. This is dirty politics taken too far,” Adewara said.
The PDP claimed that the development came shortly after Saraki raised concerns over killings and insecurity in parts of the state, particularly in Kwara North and Kwara South.
The party alleged that the renewed attention on the Offa robbery case was an attempt to shift focus from governance challenges.
Reference to earlier investigations, Adewara also cited previous investigations into the robbery, noting that the case had been handled by law enforcement authorities.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Offa robbery case was thoroughly investigated by the police. The Director of Public Prosecutions, in two separate legal advisories in 2018, stated that there was no evidence linking Dr. Bukola Saraki to the incident,” he said.
The PDP called on residents of Offa, particularly families of victims, to resist what it described as attempts to use the tragedy for political purposes.
“It is both insensitive and dangerous to trivialise an incident that left deep scars on the people of Offa,” the party stated.
The opposition party also called on security agencies to monitor the situation closely, warning that the development could heighten political tension in the state.
“We urge security agencies to take note of these developments and act in the interest of peace and stability. Kwara State must not be dragged into an avoidable crisis for the sake of political survival”, Adewara said.