Court of Appeal upholds death sentences for 2018 Offa Bank robbery convicts

Court of Appeal Upholds Death Sentences for 2018 Offa Bank Robbery Convicts

The Ilorin Division of the Court of Appeal has delivered a landmark judgment affirming the death sentences handed down to five men convicted for their roles in the 2018 Offa bank robbery, one of Nigeria’s deadliest armed heists.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by Justices Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi, Gabriel Kolawole, and Abdul Dogo, dismissed the convicts’ appeals, ruling that they lacked merit and upholding the earlier verdict of the Kwara State High Court.

The convicts, Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun, and Adeola Abraham, were found guilty of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and culpable homicide. They were returned to prison custody following the judgment.

While they retain the right to appeal to the Supreme Court, legal experts suggest that the arguments already rejected by the Court of Appeal are unlikely to succeed at the apex court.

The case traces back to April 2018, when a coordinated robbery targeted five commercial banks in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State. The attack left at least 32 people dead, including nine police officers, and shocked the nation with its scale and brutality.

Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court presided over the six-year trial, concluding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. She emphasized that the convicts acted contrary to the law and allowed their political connections at the time to mislead them.

In addition to the death sentences, the trial court imposed three-year prison terms for illegal possession of firearms, in line with Nigerian law. Lead prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) hailed the appellate court’s ruling as thorough and well-considered, despite the delays that characterized the trial.

On the other hand, Abdullah Jimba, counsel to one of the convicts, confirmed that preparations were underway to file a final appeal at the Supreme Court.

The Offa robbery remains a grim reminder of the devastating impact of organized crime in Nigeria. The affirmation of the death sentences underscores the judiciary’s resolve to uphold justice in cases of extreme violence, while also highlighting the long and complex path of legal proceedings in high-profile criminal cases.