By MIKE OJOOBANIKAN
Like a sudden storm, a vigorous protest burst out, Tuesday, in Offa, the Kwara State town that recently witnessed the most horrendous armed robbery attack in Nigeria’s recent history,
The Crest correspondent reported that scores of fulminating residents poured to the streets of the hitherto peaceful town to vent their anger on what some of them described as a shameful flip-flop by the Police High Command.
They were angry that the Force headquarters speedily reversed its invitation to Dr. Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, to report to any police station to state what he knows about the confession by the head of the deadly robbery gang that unleashed mayhem on Offa.
The leader of the deadly gang, Ayoade Akinnibosun, 37, had, on Sunday, told reporters that he worked for the Senate President as a political thug, and that Saraki, indeed, gave him the Lexus jeep, one of the cars his gang used in unleashing mayhem on Offa.
After the police had paraded the dare-devil robbers before journalists, on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, had told Saraki to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team Office at Guzape, Abuja, to respond to the allegations by the gang’s leader.
But in a sudden twist in the case, the Police High Command reversed itself, on Monday, saying that the Senate President may not bother to report physically but rather send his written response to Police Headquarters within 48 hours.
That felt terribly short of the expectation of the traumatised people of Offa who poured to the streets, Tuesday, crying for justice, warning the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotum, never to sweep the matter under the carpet.
The protesters carried placards which tasked the IGP to get to the root of the heinous crime and ensure there is no sacred cow.
Some of the protesters were worried that the withdrawal of the police invitation to the Senate President and the suspected intervention by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, were a strange coincidence that could obstruct their quest for justice.
One of the placards read: “IG go on with your investigation. Allah and Offa people are with you.” Another read: “IG, Offa people demand for justice and nothing more.”
Men, women, the young and the old, backed by a long coterie of Okada riders, joined the protest which stalled human and vehicle movement on the Olofa Way for hours. Prayers were later said by the protesters who called on God to guide the Police Chief to be able to bring justice for the community and family of those callously murdered by the criminals.