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.
Abdulrazaq Adebayo Sabi Ahman Patigi Alliance For Democracy Bilikisu Oniyangi Abdulrahman Abdulrazak Omoniyi M. Ayinla Ijagbo Health Centre Ilorin Like-Minds Special Adviser On Digital Innovation Balogun Gambari John Obuh Baruten ANCOPPS Mohammed Ghali Alaaya Computer Based Test Isiaka Alikinla Ejidongari Raliat Islamic Foundation Saka Abimbola Isau Idowu Aremu Doyin Agbamu Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria Chief Imam Of Ilorin Dele Momodu Samuel Adedoyin Arinola Fatimoh Lawal Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi Emir Of Yashikira Kamaldeen Kehinde Babaloja-General Oni Adebayo Aliyu Adebayo Saudat Abdulbaqi Abubakar Atiku Amusement Park Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria Shehu Salau Muslim Cementary Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum Adanla-Irese Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd ASKOMP Muyideen Ajani Bello Tunde Kazeem Jimoh Olusola Imam Oke-Ode Naira Redesign Zaratu Umar Elerinjare Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate Rotimi Oyedepo Oyawoye Taofik Mustapha New Nigeria People’s Party Modupe Oluwole NFAI Ogbondoroko Aliyu Salihu Shonga Paul Odama Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode Ahmed Idris Mohammed Olofa Of Offa Seun Bolaji Stephen Fasakin Ilorin General Hospital Taiwo Joseph Ibikunle Ogunleye Ella Supreme Tissue Paper Olatinwo Sheikh Ridhwanullah Abdulfatai Baakini Aro Yahaya Ladi Hassan ER-KANG Oya State

