Five armed robbers who killed 30 people and a policeman in a bank robbery incident in 2018 at Offa, Kwara State have been sentenced to death.
They were sentenced by Justice Haleema Saliman of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Thursday.
They are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham while
the principal suspect and a dismissed police officer, Michael Adikwu, had died in police custody during the six years trial
In her judgment, Justice Saliman said evidence presented by the prosecution including a video clip proved the convicts committed the crime against their innocence claim.
“The five of you will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. And may the Lord have mercy on your souls,” Justice Saliman ruled
“It is unfortunate that we are witnessing these five able bodied men who had all the opportunities to better their lots by living decently.
“And some of them were connected to the powers that be, but they allowed that opportunity to enter their heads and became smart by running afoul of the law and thinking they would get away with it forgetting that Nigeria is (still) a country where the rule of law operates.
“Their lives cannot be more important than the tens of lives lost in the robbery and murder incident. The court has applied man-made law but vengeance is of God,” the judge said
The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) commended the judge for the judgment despite suffering several delays.
Counsel to the defendants, Matthias Emeribe, however said they will appeal the judgment.