The people of Offa in Kwara State, have dismissed the allegations by the police linking Saraki to the incident. They also warned the police against implicating him.
Similarly, a coalition of Kwara youths under the aegis of the Kwara Agenda, asked the federal government and the Nigeria Police to stop politicising the Offa robbery incident.
Also, elders of Ajikobi Central Ward in the Ilorin West Local Government Area where Saraki hails from, said that they received with shock the invitation of the Senate President by the police in respect to the unfortunate Offa armed robbery attacks.
The people of Offa comprising youths, market women, artisans had besieged the palace of the traditional ruler of Offa, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye 1 yesterday to protest against the persecution of Saraki over the bank robberies in the town.
The youths came with placards stating: “We are one with Saraki in Offa,” “Don’t politicise Offa robbery,” “Baba IGP, this is too much for our leader,” “Saraki is the leader in Kwara,” “Offa robbery cannot be used to settle political scores.”
Speaking with journalists at the palace of the Olofa, their leader Mr. Peter Kayode said the current scenario was unacceptable and uncalled for.
He said it was inconceivable that the Senate President could be linked with the armed robbery in Offa community, being the first dignitary that paid a condolence visit to the community after the tragedy.
He also applauded Saraki for the important role he played to quickly facilitate the release of an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) to the community to beef up security in the area.
While urging the police authorities to stop playing politics with the incident, he warned that thousands of Kwara youths including secondary school pupils would trek from Ilorin to Abuja in protest over the incident.
Responding, the traditional ruler said: “What has happened we leave to God, but we don’t want the innocent to be punished. We want the police to go after the real culprits.”
Represented by the Ojomu of Offa, Chief Bayo Akinola, the traditional ruler said the police must only fish out those that were involved in the incident rather than trying to implicate innocent persons.
According to him, “The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki was one of the first government functionaries that paid a condolence visit to Offa and even made promises to the town and has fulfilled the promises to us, so we don’t believe that he can be involved in such act.
“The Nigeria Police Force should ensure that those allegedly involved should be made to face the full wrath of the law and not use the issue to make any political point.”
Also, the elders of Ajikobi Central, in a statement signed by their coordinator, Alhaji Salihu AbdulWahab Agbaji, said: “It is illogical and unthinkable that the Senate President and the political leader of Kwara State will ask bandits to kill the citizens that he leads.
“The plot against our son is as a result of his growing popularity across the country, a situation which is making some of his political rivals uncomfortable. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently call the Inspector General of Police to order so as to allow our hard earned democracy to blossom.”
Despite the overwhelming support Saraki got from his home state, the police summon and allegation levelled against him pitted several Nigerians against one another.
While those in support of the Senate President tagged it a witch-hunt, others opined that there should be no sacred cow when it comes to crime and its consequences.
