The Offa community in Kwara State has expressed strong concerns regarding the execution of justice in the 2018 bank robbery case that left 33 people dead, including police officers and pregnant women.
The tragic incident took place on April 5, 2018, when armed robbers attacked several commercial banks in the town, killing dozens and making away with millions of naira.
During a press conference on Thursday, the Offa Descendants Union (ODU), led by its Chairman, Alhaji Olanrewaju Shittu, voiced dissatisfaction with the police investigation into the case. The ODU believes that despite the recent court ruling, the investigation remains incomplete.
Alhaji Shittu pointed out that several individuals, named by the convicted robbers as being involved in supplying weapons and logistics for the crime, were not properly addressed during the investigation and trial. He insisted that the investigation left out critical figures, creating doubts about whether the full extent of the crime has been revealed.
Last week, five men—Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez, and Niyi Ogundiran—were sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court for their roles in the heinous attack. The Offa community welcomed the sentencing but remains concerned that justice has not been fully served.
In their statement, the ODU said, “This is Offa Community’s Unnegotiable Demand and Prayer.” The community urged the police and the state government to resume investigations to ensure that every individual involved in the robbery, including those who provided logistics, vehicles, and other support, is brought to justice.
The group made it clear that they would not rest until the government addressed “all factors, notions, and personalities” associated with the robbery. They called on the Commissioner of Police to take immediate action to ensure that no individual connected to the crime is overlooked.
