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.
Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede Bolaji Nagode Park Yakub Lai Gobir Muazam Nayaya Age AbdulKareem John Obuh Kwara State Governor Babajide Ajayi Isiaka Rafiu Mope Markaz Arabic And Islamic Training Institute, Agege Adeola Abraham Irepodun Abdulmumini Jawondo School Of Nursing SSUCOEN Femi Gbajabiamila Kwara State Pension Board Abdulrazaq Sanni Femi Agbaje Modibo Kawu Rachael Obisesan Kola Bukoye Bukola Saraki Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed Taofik Abiodun Ahmed Ben Duntoye Shettima Of Ilorin April 11 Special Agro-Industrial Hub Suleiman Idris Tsaragi-Share Oniye Bola Tinubu Jumoke Monsura Gafar Lai Gobir Shuaib Boni Aliyu Umar Bayo Abdulwahab Ita-Nmo Market Emir Of Lafiagi Jawondo Ola Falade State Bureau Of Internal Revenue Plat Technologies Edret Sabi Abel Kwara Restoration Project Baba Issa Awoye Chemiroy Nigeria Limited CCT Manzuma Abdulahi Abubakar Bata Toyin Olayinka Tejidini General Hospital Aminat Omodara Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum Modupe Oluwole Hajj Damilola Yusuf Adelodun Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road First Lady Farouk Salim Seed Technologies Elerin Of Adanla Garba Idris Ajia Law School Scholarship Joseph Daudu Gafaru Olayiwola Olorisade Oke-opin 11th Galadima UNILORIN Alumni Association March 28 Segun Adeniyi Raheem Adaramaja Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi Towoju

