A Kwara State High Court has sentenced five men to death by hanging for their roles in the infamous Offa bank robbery.
The verdict, delivered on Thursday, followed the court’s ruling that the prosecution successfully proved the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.
The defendants were convicted on multiple charges, including illegal possession of firearms, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit culpable homicide, which carries the death penalty.
The convicted individuals—Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham—were given the opportunity to plead for leniency.
However, the court upheld the death sentence, emphasizing that it should serve as a deterrent to others.
The robbery, which occurred in April 2018, involved a group of armed assailants attacking multiple banks in Offa, Kwara State.
The violent heist resulted in the deaths of several people, including nine police officers, and the theft of an undisclosed amount of money.