How Offa robbery suspect died in detention – Police

The Nigeria Police Thursday said an armed robbery and murder suspect in the infamous Offa robbery who died in detention was not murdered, rather he slumped and died.

Micheal Adikwu, a former Police constable, led the group of armed robbers in April this year on a five-bank robbery operation that led to the deaths of 33 people including police operatives.

The Kwara State Commissioner of justice, Kamal Ajibade, announced the death of Adikwu during the trial of five suspects on trial at a Kwara State High Court on Wednesday.

Ajibade told the judge that he was informed by the police of Adikwu’s death but was not told how the suspect died.

In a statement by police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, on Thursday, the police said the said a post-mortem report on Mr Adikwu’s cause of death is available.

Moshood, however, did not include any details of the post-mortem report.

“Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs was not murdered but slumped and died in detention while investigation into the Offa Bank Robbery was ongoing,” spokesperson said.

“There is a post-mortem examination result in respect of the death of Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs.”

The police also said the death of the Adikwu “cannot in anyway vindicate Senator Bukola Saraki”. They informed  that Adikwu was not among “the Five (5) gang leaders that indicted and implicated the senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki”.

Saraki had on Wednesday demanded a probe of the death of the robbery suspect.

Saraki noted that the new disclosure by the police has vindicated his earlier claim that the suspect had been murdered in police custody and that the investigation was politically motivated to implicate him, Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed and a few others.