Ilorin: The Kwara Reform Group is demanding justice for the 33 victims of the 2018 Offa robbery, condemning renewed attempts to politicize the case and calling for all those implicated to face due process without interference.
At a news conference in Ilorin on Friday, Publicity Secretary Queen Latifah Olarewaju-Arewa warned against politicising the case.
It said the recent developments in the case should be viewed as part of the legal process aimed at ensuring accountability for the victims. It particularly said that fresh revelations linking former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, and others to the crime had revived calls for further investigations.
Those named, the group said, should submit to due process to clear their names. According to the group, the renewed attention on the matter did not arise from a political vendetta but followed a petition reportedly submitted by the Offa Descendants Union (ODU).
The petition, it said, was submitted to the Kwara Government on Oct. 3, 2024, seeking the investigation of persons allegedly mentioned by the convicted robbers.
The group said the petition followed Justice Haleema Salman’s ruling, which sentenced five suspects to death for the robbery.
The group recalled that the robbery left 33 dead, including police officers.
The group stated the Court of Appeal’s January affirmation of convictions further strengthened calls for all linked individuals to face due process.
“Those named must respond lawfully to serious allegations, not resort to political grandstanding,” it stated.
It criticised political efforts to portray the case as persecution, arguing that such tactics undermine justice.
The group urged stakeholders to support efforts to uncover criminal networks rather than block investigations.
Justice for the 33 Offa robbery victims must not yield to political interests, the group maintained.
“We demand justice for the victims of the Offa robbery.
The victims’ memory demands complete truth, accountability, and justice, the group concluded.
