The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Friday upheld the death sentences imposed on five men convicted over the 2018 Offa bank robbery, dismissing their appeals in their entirety.
In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justices Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi, Gabriel Kolawole and Abdul Dogo, the appellate court affirmed the ruling of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced the convicts to death by hanging.
The five men — Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun and Adeola Abraham — were found guilty of armed robbery, culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms following coordinated attacks on five commercial banks in Offa Local Government Area in April 2018.
Confirming the decision, the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Akande, said the Court of Appeal found no basis to interfere with the trial court’s judgement.
According to him, the appellate court agreed that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and held that the appellants failed to establish any miscarriage of justice. All grounds of appeal were dismissed, and the convictions were upheld. The convicts have since been returned to prison.
Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court had earlier sentenced the men to death after a six-year trial that attracted nationwide attention. In her judgement, she noted that the convicts acted unlawfully and allowed their connections with powerful individuals at the time to mislead them. In addition to the death sentences, the court also imposed three-year jail terms for illegal possession of firearms.
Lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the appellate court’s verdict as thorough and well-considered, saying it reinforced the strength of the prosecution’s case despite delays during the trial.
However, defence counsel to one of the convicts, Abdullah Jimba, said plans were underway to approach the Supreme Court for a final appeal.
PUNCH Online recalls that a sixth suspect, Michael Adikwu, a retired police officer, died in custody before the trial commenced.
The April 2018 Offa robbery, during which five banks were attacked, claimed at least 32 lives, including those of nine police officers, making it one of the deadliest bank robberies in Nigeria’s history.
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