Date: 2018-06-08

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, said he had forwarded his written defence to the police on the allegation that he had links with armed robbery suspects arrested over the attacks on banks in Offa, Kwara State.

Saraki made the announcement on his social media platforms.

He wrote, "In line with their request, earlier today the police received my response to their letter on the investigation into the Offa robbery case."

It was learnt from a source in the Senate that the Senate President involved his lawyers in the drafting of the defence.

When contacted, Saraki's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, confirmed to our correspondent that the defence had been filed. He, however, declined to speak further on the matter.

The multiple attacks on April 5, 2018, had left 33 persons dead, while the suspects had alleged that they were Saraki's political thugs, an allegation that the Senate President had denied.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimoh Moshood, while parading the suspects said the police had given Saraki one week to come forward for questioning.

Saraki had in a statement on Sunday stated that he was ready to honour a formal invitation by the police.

The Senate President, however, alleged that it was a plot to embarrass him. He asked the public to disregard the claim by the police as baseless and another ploy to implicate him by all means.

On Monday, he said he was ready to honour an invitation by the police.

"I have just informed my ADC to get the letter of invitation from @PoliceNG in respect of the allegations raised yesterday - so that I can immediately honour the alleged invitation,” Saraki said on social media.

Later on the same day, Saraki said he had received a letter from the police asking him to make his defence in writing by Wednesday and not to appear in person.