Offa robbery: Ahmed denies funding thugs, says they may be beneficiaries of Kwara SME credit

Abdulfatai Ahmed, governor of Kwara state, says he has never sponsored thugs for political purposes.

Muyideen Akorede, media aide to the governor, quoted the governor as saying this in a statement on Sunday while responding to allegations by the police.

Jimoh Moshood, spokesman of the police, had said some suspects confessed to being sponsored by the governor and Senate President Bukola Saraki.

But the governor says the allegations are “false” and that he has never “provided arms to any individual or group in the state or anywhere in the country”.

Ahmed said his government is only known for its empowerment scheme under the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) platform for women and youth groups.

He said if any of the beneficiaries chose to use the SME credit they secured to purchase a vehicle which was alleged to have been used for a criminal act, the state government could not be held liable.

“At no point did the Kwara state government directly provide funds to any group known as Good Boys for any purpose,” the statement read.

“Similarly, if any of the beneficiaries chose to use the SME credit secured from the government to purchase a vehicle which was then alleged to have been used for an act of criminality, the Kwara state governor and indeed the state government cannot be held liable for such actions since neither had prior knowledge of such intentions on beneficiaries’ part.

“The Kwara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed also rejects the police allegation of arming and funding the suspects for political thuggery or for any other activity as false and unfounded as thuggery or any other form of criminality is neither encouraged nor supported by the state government or its agents.”