Offa Community Split Over Kwara High Court Ruling on 2018 Bank Robbery
The recent judgment of the Kwara State High Court regarding the 2018 Offa banks robbery has left the community divided. After a six-year trial, Justice Haleema Salman last week sentenced the remaining five suspects involved in the robbery to death by hanging. The convicts—Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham—were found guilty of the brutal attack that claimed the lives of 32 people, including nine policemen.
The ruling, however, has sparked differing opinions within the Offa community. On Thursday, the home branch of the Offa Descendants' Union (ODU) urged the Kwara State Government to revisit the case, raising concerns about the judgment.
The Offa robbery, which occurred on April 5, 2018, shocked the nation due to the sheer scale of the violence and loss of life, and the recent court ruling has revived emotional reactions from different quarters of the community.
Addressing journalists in Offa, the chairman of the union, Chief Tajudeen Lanre Shittu, said though the community welcomed the judgement, it expressed reservations 'that many questions have not been answered'.
They called on the state government to expedite action on the execution of the judgement.
'There is the need for a holistic probing of all the factors, notions and personalities, so as to remove the public impression that the Nigeria Police investigation on the incident is incomplete and certain individuals are being covered up.
“The community is unsatisfied with how the police command handled the investigation and expressed reservations. Those who supplied the vehicle used for the robbery and all those mentioned during the course of trial should be investigated”.
But in a statement last night, some 'leaders of thought and indigenes under the aegis of Offa Koya, Offa Kowosi, dismissed the position of the home branch, adding that it was politically motivated
They accused the ODU home branch chairman of using the community's name for cheap politics.
When contacted last night, the national secretary of national branch of the ODU, Mrs Wosilat McCarthy, said Shittu cannot be speaking for the ODU.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Sulyman Age AbdulKareem Ahmad Ali HAMFAT Clinic And Maternity Waziri Yakubu Gobir Oke-Kura Baba Issa Awoye SSA Youth Engagement National Pilot Seun Bolaji Trade Lenda SME Fair Radio SBS Egbejila Royal FM Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu April 11 Kanu Agabi Sabo-Oke Bamidele Adegoke Kola Bukoye Okala Baba Oniwa Abraham Ojo REO CAKES Yusuf Aiyedun Ibrahim Abdullahi Abdulmumini Jawondo Kwara State Pension Board EndSARS Dunmade Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim Olatinwo Baruten BECE Maigida Soludero Transit 2017 Budget Salihu Ajibola Ajia Erubu Oba Zubair Folashade Omoniyi Makama Medinat Folorunsho Salman Ijagbo Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory Academic Staff Union Of Universities Sulyman Tejidini Khairat Gwadabe Mahee Abdulkadir Farouk Salim Sidikat Uthman Ajibola Ilorin Airport Afeyin-Olukuta Ibrahim Abduquadri Abikan Yusuf Olaolu Ali Alabe Col. Ibrahim Taiwo Yahaya Dumoye Jumoke F. Ajao Isiaka Saka Opobiyi Razaq Atunwa Yunus Oniboki Ahmed Dankaya Ahmed Bayero Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed Kulende-UITH Kale Belgore Joseph Alex Offorjama Sulu Gambari Amos Justus Sayo Metro Park General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport AbdulGafar Tosho JAAC Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman Taofeeq Olateju Monthly Sanitation Saad Belgore Alimi Abdulrazaq Niyi Ogundiran

