Gov Ahmed's aide gets interim bail

Justice I.A. Yusuf of the Kwara State High Court has granted interim bail of N20million to Olalekan Alabi, Personal Assistant on Political Matters to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, concerning the Offa bank robbery.

Alabi has been in police custody in the nation's capital city of Abuja since 30 May, 2018.

Alabi was linked to the Offa bank robbery of April and was subsequently arrested as a suspect.

On Thursday, April 5, 2018, a group of at least 25 armed robbers staged an attack on some commercial banks along Owode Market area of Offa, in Nigeria's north central state of Kwara.

Some 30 residents of the town were killed by the robbers during the bank raids.

Granting bail

Justice Yusuf granted Alabi bail after carefully considering the oral application made by the defendant's counsel, Mr Adebayo Adelodun (SAN) and the response of Adekunle Iwalaye, who is the counsel to the respondent, Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim.

Adelodun had on 27 July, 2018 moved an ex parte motion praying for the release of his client from police custody.

But the presiding judge failed to give any ruling, and ordered the respondent to appear in court to show cause why the prayer sought in the application should not be granted.

Consequently, counsel to the respondent, Adekunle Iwalaye filed an affidavit to show cause why the governor’s aide should not be released from police custody, which was discountenanced by the court.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Yusuf ordered that Olalekan Alabi be released on interim bail in the sum of N20million with two reliable sureties in like sum.

He also ruled that the sureties must be civil servants with the Kwara government and must not be below the ranks of Directors.

The judge thereafter adjourned the case to October 22, 2018, for hearing.

A slew of suspects have been arrested in connection with the Offa bank robberyand have tendered confessional statements to the police.