TRANSCRIPT: We are Saraki’s thugs but he didn’t ask us to rob-offa robbery gang leader

Ayodele Akinnibosun, leader of the gang of robbers who attacked five commercial banks in Offa, Kwara State on April 5, which led to the killing of 33 persons including nine policemen, told journalists on Sunday that he and some of his members, work as thugs to President of Nigeria’s Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

The police on Monday invited Saraki for questioning in connection with the robberies.

Akinnibosun, nicknamed, AY who was paraded alongside other suspects in the Offa robbery on Sunday by spokesman of the police, Jimoh Moshood, said though they carry some political assignments for Dr. Saraki, he is not involved in their robbery activities. He said they had been working for Saraki since his time as Governor of Kwara State.

In an interview with reporters, Ayodele Akinnibosun aka AY, leader of the gang, alleged that his group had been working for the senate president since he was governor. Saraki was Governor of Kwara State between 1999 and 2007.

SEE TRANSCRIPT OF AKINNIBOSUN’S INTERVIEW WITH JOURNALISTS:

Journalists: Can we meet you?

Akinnibosun: My name is Ayodele Akinnibosun aka AY. I am the chairman of Liberation Youths movement Kwara South. I work for Senate president and Governor Ahmed as political mobilising youth and we have been working for long time since he was Governor of Kwara.

Journalists: Be specific. What exactly do you do for Saraki, what type of works?

Akinnibosun: We mobilise and do political arrangement for him in Kwara south.

Journalists: Describe the work u do, what the police PRO said has to do with Robbery and that is weighty, you are talking politics and that is light. What do you do for Senate’s President?

Akinnibosun: Where we can’t win, we make arrangement there, we scatter elections if we don’t win.

Journalists: What is the connection between the robbery and the senate president?

Akinnibosun: The connection is that for example, this car was given to me by His Excellency through the Chief of Staff of Kwara state as a gift from leader.

Journalists: Who is His Excellency?

Akinnibosun: Governor AbdulFatai Ahmed

Journalists: Please what has Offa robbery got to do with your story? Did you participate in Offa robbery?

Akinnibosun: Yes, I participated in the Offa robbery. I used this Lexus car given to me for the operations in Offa robbery.

Journalists: What was the plan? They gave you a car for political mobilisation or thuggery issue but you moved it into robbery. We want to know the link. You are telling us a different thing. Did the Senate president or governor send you to be killing or stealing from Kwara people? Simple and straightforward, that’s what we want to know.

Akinnibosun: The senate president and governor of Kwara state, we have been their political thugs, that’s what encouraged us to the robbery.

Journalists: So this robbery, how did you get your weapons?

Akinnibosun: It was through this… ehehn…. one retired police officer, Michael… he was the one that comes with ammunition.

Journalists: Please, is the governor or Saraki aware of the robbery? Did they send you for the operation?

Akinnibosun: No! They did not send us for the robbery but because we are their political thugs, that’s what led us to the robbery.

Journalists: You have access to governor and senate president. There’s nothing you need that they won’t give you. Why did you have to engage in robbery with all these opportunities?

Akinnibosun: It is devil that pushed us.

Journalists: Please, is the governor or Saraki aware of the robbery? Did they send you for the operation?

Akinnibosun: No! They did not send us for the robbery but because we are their political thugs, that’s what led us to the robbery.