The Kwara government has advised former Senate President Bukola Saraki and other defendants in the fresh charges related to the 2018 Offa armed robbery  to defend themselves in court.

“His Excellency Saraki and others have an undoubted constitutional right to defend the charges against themselves, and we hope they will exercise their right in the appropriate forum– the courts of law,” said the commissioner of communications, Bolanle Olukoju, in a statement over the weekend.

The government, in the 20-count charges dated April 9, 2026, accused Mr Saraki, former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, former chief of staff to Mr Ahmed, Yusuf Abdulwahab and another aide, Alabi Olalekan Ahmed, of supporting and arming suspects linked to the armed robbery.

The charges came after the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of the principal suspects, including Ayo Akinnibosun, who confessed during trial to being a hitman for the Saraki political dynasty.

The government stated that weapons and other exhibits linked to the crime were recovered from the Government House in 2018 and later tendered in court as evidence during the trial of the principal suspects.

Mr Saraki denied involvement in the violent robbery and described the fresh charges as a frivolous attempt by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to embarrass and tarnish his image.

However, Ms Olukoju said the fresh charges against Mr Saraki and other defendants were based on evidence available to the government.

“No responsible government ought to turn a blind eye to the evidence available to it. People have been prosecuted for less. The fact that highly placed persons were implicated by the convicts should not be the reason for the state to abdicate its statutory responsibilities. Everyone must be treated equally by the law,” she stated.

The commissioner clarified that the charges were not driven by any political attempt to victimise Mr Saraki and other defendants, urging them to defend themselves in court.

“We further emphasise that no prosecutor determines guilt; that’s the exclusive function of the court. The state has no interest in any witch-hunt or victimisation. However, to ignore the evidence would amount to an abdication of duty and would effectively suggest that some persons are above the law,” Ms Olukoju added.

However, in a statement on Monday by his spokesman, Yusuf Olaniyonu, Mr Saraki noted that Mr Abdulrazaq “should know that people can see through his devious game for what it is”. 

The statement added, “They can understand why this governor would label his two immediate predecessors as sponsors of bank robbery. This is a governor who is resorting to a blackmail game to divert attention from the failure of governance under his leadership. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is responding to so many crises confronting him from different quarters.”