Offa Community Calls For Prosecution Of Additional Suspects In 2018 Bank Robbery Case

Ilorin, Kwara State- The Offa Descendants’ Union (ODU) has called on the Kwara State Government to expedite the implementation of a recent judgment by the Kwara State High Court regarding the notorious Offa bank robbery.

This plea follows the court’s sentencing of five convicted suspects to death by hanging for their roles in the April 5, 2018, heist.

In a press conference on Thursday, ODU Chairman Chief Tajudeen Shittu expressed the community’s mixed feelings about the judgment and emphasized that while the ruling is welcomed, many questions remain unanswered.

The union urged the state police command to conduct thorough investigations into other suspects mentioned during the trial, citing concerns that some influential figures may be evading justice.

The court, presided over by Justice Haleema Salman, sentenced Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham for their involvement in the robbery, which resulted in significant loss and trauma for the Offa community.

In a petition directed to the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Victor Olaiya, the ODU leaders reiterated their commitment to ensuring that all implicated parties face prosecution.

The statement read, “As much as we appreciate the conviction of the suspects, Offa as a community has reservations for the way the investigation was handled by the police, as though it pleases us that the culprits would not go unpunished; we are aware that they have their rights to appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, but we will never relent to pursue any attempt made by evildoers and ensure that full justice is achieved for the heartless souls, including those who have a link with them during the investigation.

“This is a major concern to our community and a very important course we have resolved to pursue to a logical conclusion.

Shittu noted that the Offa community would like the investigation to be extended further in the following regards to identify and unravel.

He said that the people who supplied the vehicle were used for the robbery. The people mentioned during the course of the investigation.

According to Shittu, “From the above two germane points, we, hereby, state categorically that the Offa community remains not only grateful but unassuaded and unsatisfied with the way the police ended. As a community, we consider the investigation leading to the judgment as inconclusive and an attempt to cover and protect the names of those who were identified by the robbers during the investigation.

“We therefore call for further and thorough investigation and arrest of those who provided logistics to the robbers. All the names mentioned by the convicted persons should be investigated thoroughly for proper justice to be served.

“We, therefore, call on the Kwara State Government to revisit the incident through the holistic probing of all the factors, notions, and personalities to remove the public impression and conclusion that the said Nigeria Police investigation of the April 2018 Offa Bank robbery is incomplete. This is the Offa community’s unnegotiable demand and prayers,” Shittu added.