Justice Haleema Saliman of the Kwara State High Court has sentenced five suspects involved in the 2018 Offa bank robbery to death by hanging.According to the report by Daily Trust on Thursday, the convicted individuals – Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham – were found guilty of culpable homicide and armed robbery after a six-year trial.
The Offa robbery, one of the most brutal in Nigeria’s history, left over 30 people dead, including nine police officers.
The incident, which occurred in April 2018, shocked the nation and attracted international attention.
The trial, which began shortly after, saw several twists, including the death of the principal suspect and former police officer, Michael Adikwu, while in custody.
Justice Saliman’s judgement, which lasted nearly three hours, found the five suspects guilty of multiple counts of culpable homicide and armed robbery.
She handed down the death penalty, stating, “The five of you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. And may the Lord have mercy on your souls.”
In addition to the death sentence, the court also convicted the defendants for unlawful possession of firearms.
However, Justice Saliman, using her discretion, reduced the sentence for that charge from the usual 10 years to three years imprisonment.
In her remarks, Justice Saliman expressed regret over the tragic turn in the lives of the convicted men.
She said, “It is unfortunate that we are witnessing these five able-bodied men who had all the opportunities to better their lots by living decently.”
The judge criticized the defendants for squandering opportunities to live lawfully, adding that their actions resulted in immense loss of life.
Reacting to the judgement, lead prosecutor Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) expressed satisfaction, commending the judge for her dedication despite several delays during the trial.
He emphasized that the defendants still have the right to appeal.
Adeniyi Zachariyau Jimba, representing the lead counsel for the defence, Matthias Emeribe, stated that they anticipated the judgement and were already preparing to file an appeal.
