NIGERIA · POLITICS
The government of Kwara, a state in north-central Nigeria, has dropped 18 of the 20 counts it brought over a deadly 2018 bank robbery in the town of Offa against Bukola Saraki, a former Senate President (head of Nigeria’s upper house), and Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was Kwara governor from 2011 to 2019. Saraki’s office said in a statement reported on Monday 9 November 2026 that the withdrawal is an admission that the allegations were baseless, and that his lawyers will fight the counts that remain.
Saraki is campaigning for opposition candidates before Nigeria’s presidential election on Saturday 16 January 2027. For US readers, the case shows how legal fights and campaigns can overlap before a vote in Africa’s most populous country.
Key Facts
- Who Bukola Saraki, a former Senate President, and Abdulfatah Ahmed, a former Kwara governor, with two ex-aides.
- What Kwara withdrew 18 of 20 counts, including armed robbery and firearms offences.
- When The amendment is reported as dated Friday 6 November 2026; Saraki’s reaction came on Monday 9 November.
- Remaining The amended charge is reported to list two or four counts, including counts of belonging to a gang.
- Next Saraki’s lawyers say they will challenge the remaining counts in court.
What Kwara Dropped
The state government’s 20-count charge, dated 9 April 2026, concerns the Offa bank robbery of 5 April 2018, in which at least 32 people, including police officers, were killed. The amendment, dated 6 November, drops 18 counts, which included armed robbery, culpable homicide (unlawful killing, including of police officers) and illegal possession of firearms.
Two counts of conspiring to belong to, and belonging to, a gang of thieves remain. Reports differ on whether two new counts of concealing a vehicle allegedly used for unlawful purposes were added, which would make four in total.
Four people are named: Saraki; Ahmed; Yusuf Abdulwahab, Ahmed’s former chief of staff; and Alabi Olalekan, another former aide. The case is before the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, the state capital, and Saraki and Ahmed deny any link to the attack.
What Saraki Says
Yusuph Olaniyonu, spokesperson of Saraki’s media office, said the amended charge shows “there was no case against these gentlemen from the beginning.” He accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration of abusing the courts to damage its predecessors before the 2027 elections.
The statement said the state spent nearly N100 million (about US$75,000 at N1,341 to the dollar) on newspaper advertisements about the original allegations (N is the Nigerian naira). It added that Saraki is confident the remaining counts will not survive judicial scrutiny.
Why the Case Is So Political
Saheed Popoola, a former member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), says he was a leading member of the party when the robbery issue was politicised against Saraki, and that he helped revive it. Popoola is now a candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Kwara South Senate seat.
Saraki points to 2018 legal advice from the federal Director of Public Prosecutions, part of the Attorney-General’s office, which he says found no case against him. The Kwara government has not explained the withdrawal.
Separately, the Kwara State High Court sentenced five robbery suspects to death in September 2024, and the Court of Appeal in Ilorin upheld those convictions on 30 January 2026. That case concerns the robbers, not Saraki.
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What It Means for You
The withdrawal is a legal step, not a verdict, because at least two counts still stand. The court will now test them, while the political argument continues until the vote.
For business readers, the case shows how criminal cases and election campaigns can overlap in Nigeria. That is a political risk investors weigh alongside inflation and currency moves.
What Is Not Known
No Kwara government statement on the withdrawal appeared in the reports available. The date of the next hearing, and whether the court has accepted the amendment, were not stated.
Reports differ on whether the amended charge has two counts or four. Saraki’s lawyers have not yet filed their challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges did Kwara drop against Saraki?
The state withdrew 18 of 20 counts, including armed robbery, culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms. Saraki’s office reacted on 9 November 2026.
What is the Offa bank robbery?
It was a bank robbery in Offa, a town in Kwara State, on 5 April 2018. At least 32 people, including police officers, were killed.
Does Saraki still face charges?
Yes. At least two gang-related counts remain, and his lawyers say they will contest them. Reports differ on whether two vehicle counts were added.
Sources: Statement by the media office of Bukola Saraki, 9 November 2026; the amendment of 6 November 2026, filed in the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin; Court of Appeal judgment of 30 January 2026; Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, election timetable, inecnigeria.org. The N100 million figure is converted at the 9 November 2026 market rate of about N1,341 per US$.
More Nigeria coverage: Nigeria hub.
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