Saraki, Ahmed Condemn Offa Bank Robbery, Want Perpetrators Arrested

By Dipo Olowookere

Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki, has condemned an attack in Offa, Kwara State on Thursday evening, which led many dead, including police officers.

In a statement personally signed by him on Friday, Mr Saraki, a former Governor of Kwara State, said he was saddened by the incident.

The lawmaker, who described the incident as “despicable” and the perpetrators as “cruel individuals,” said there can never be any valid grounds or rationale behind such violence that has left many families without their loved ones, and one more community in grief and shock.

Mr Saraki said he spoke to Governor Ahmed to express my condolence on the lives that were lost in the attack and agreed that “no stone will be left unturned until the perpetrators of this heinous act are caught and brought to justice.”

He said all must work together to ensure that this does not reoccur, urging resident and other stakeholder to “co-operate at various levels to increase the security of our communities.”

“I pray that the souls of those that we lost yesterday are granted places amongst the righteous ones. My prayers and support will continue to be extended to all the affected families, and we will remain relentless until everyone who planned or carried out this attack faces the full wrath of the law,” the Senate President said.

Similarly, the Governor of Kwara State, Mr Abdulfatah Ahmed expressed shock at the “tragic events at Offa” yesterday.

In a statement issued by the Governor, he condoned with “the families of those who died in the armed robbery attack in the town,” saying he was in “constant touch with the security agencies in the state and have urged them to do all within their power to secure Offa and environs and bring the attackers to justice.”

“I have also directed the health services to rapidly deploy emergency services to treat those injured in the attack,” he said.

It was gathered that some hoodlums unleashed terror on the ancient town of Offa yesterday evening, operating for about an hour.

During the attack, the armed robbers raided about four banks and carted away with an undisclosed amount of money, including foreign currencies.