The court of appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State, has upheld the death sentences handed down to five men convicted over the deadly 2018 bank robbery in Offa.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, the appellate court dismissed all grounds of appeal filed by the convicts, affirming the 2024 judgement of the Kwara State High Court. A three-member panel ordered that the men be returned to prison to continue serving their sentences, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Those affected by the ruling are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.
The case stems from the April 5, 2018 attacks on several banks in Offa, during which a police station was also overrun. The coordinated assault left 33 people dead, including 12 police officers and a pregnant woman.
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In September 2024, the Kwara State High Court found the five men guilty of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and culpable homicide. The trial judge, Haleema Salman, sentenced them to death.
During the proceedings, Akinnibosun, who identified himself as the leader of the group, gave a detailed account of how the robbery was planned and executed. He told the court that the idea was introduced by Michael Adikwu, a dismissed police officer who later died.
Akinnibosun said he recruited the other four men and provided the two vehicles used in the operation. He also admitted to shooting two people who were attempting to flee near the police station during the attack.
With Friday’s ruling, the appeal court has brought the long-running legal process to a close, leaving the original death sentences intact.
