The Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State, has upheld the death sentences of five men convicted for their roles in the deadly 2018 Offa bank robbery, dismissing their appeals as lacking merit.
The Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Akande, who followed the proceedings virtually, said the three-judge panel—comprising Justices Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi, Gabriel Kolawole, and Abdul Dogo—unanimously affirmed the verdict of the Kwara State High Court.
The convicts—Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun, and Adeola Abraham—were sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and culpable homicide. A sixth suspect, Michael Adikwu, a retired police officer, died in custody before the trial began.
An official of the appellate court said all grounds of appeal were rejected and ordered the immediate return of the convicts to prison. While they retain the right to appeal to the Supreme Court, sources suggest their arguments at the Court of Appeal were unlikely to succeed.
The convictions stem from the coordinated April 2018 attack on five commercial banks in Offa Local Government Area, during which at least 32 people were killed, including nine police officers, making it one of Nigeria’s deadliest bank robberies.
Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court had sentenced the five convicts to death after a six-year trial, noting that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The court also sentenced the men to three years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms.
Lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the appellate court decision as thorough and well-considered. Defence counsel Abdullah Jimba confirmed that preparations were underway to pursue a final appeal at the Supreme Court.
