Offa bank robbery: 5 sentenced to death by hanging

GBENGA OLARINOYE, Ilorin

Six years after the bloody bank robbery operation in the ancient town of Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara state which claimed the lives of several innocent residents of the community, Justice Haleema Salman of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin on Thursday sentenced five suspects in the case to death by hanging.
The court held that the convicts robbed and killed innocent citizens including nine police officers in Offa during the bloody robbery attack.
Recall that the judgement was meant to be delivered on August 2, 2024 but was put forward because of the the August nationwide protest.
Six suspects: a policeman, Michael Adikwu (now deceased), Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham were arrested in connection with the deadly bank robbery on April 5, 2018 in Offa, Kwara State.
It was reported that Michael Adikwu, the leader of the robbery attack, died in police custody while the remaining five pleaded not guilty in court.
But the remaining five suspects standing trial were present in court on Thursday.
Justice Haleema Salman began reading the judgement at 9:14 am.
Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, is the lead prosecuting counsel while the lead defence counsel, Nathaniel Emeribe was not in court and was represented by A. S. Abdullahi.
Justice Haleema Salman found the convicts; Ayo Akinibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran guilty of the offence of culpable homicide, armed robbery among others and ordered that they are hung by the neck until they breath no more.
The court, in the judgement handed down three years imprisonment on the convicts for the offence of illegal possession of firearms based on the penal code law.
Justice Salman added that the convicts acted contrary to law and misbehaved by allowing their connections with power that be in government to lead them astray.
The prosecution counsel, Barrister Rotimi Jacobs, expressed satisfaction over the verdict, appreciating the judge for being thorough despite several distractions that made the case to be prolonged.
Also, the counsel representing the convicts said that the judgement is not unexpected noting that his principal is already compiling all necessary documents for the appeal.