Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced a lecturer from the College of Health Technology in Ijero‑Ekiti, Ekiti State, to death by hanging after finding him guilty of armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The verdict was delivered on March 13, 2026, by Justice O. M. Adejumo, concluding a criminal case that has been ongoing since 2018.
The defendant, identified as Shittu Isiaka, was arraigned on November 26, 2018, on a three‑count charge including conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, and endangering life. After nearly eight years of legal proceedings, the court found Isiaka guilty on the counts of conspiracy and armed robbery, imposing the death sentence by hanging, which is a legal punishment for armed robbery under Nigerian law.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence linking Isiaka to a highway robbery that occurred on July 5, 2017, along the Ibuji axis of the Akure–Ilesha Expressway. According to testimony, a commercial driver, Olatunji Olowoyeye, was hired by the defendant and two accomplices to transport cocoa beans from Igbara‑Oke to Ilesa. Upon reaching a secluded area, one of the passengers allegedly brandished a gun while Isiaka sat beside him in the front seat. The attackers reportedly dragged the driver from the vehicle, tied him up, and left him in the bushes before fleeing with his truck, mobile phone, money, and keys. The victim later reached the highway, where police found him and took him to a hospital for treatment.
Police officers testified that the injured driver was brought to the Igbara‑Oke Police Station in a critical condition and identified Isiaka as one of the suspects. Inspector Kehinde Omotosho provided testimony regarding the circumstances of the victim’s rescue and the statement he made implicating the defendant.
The court discharged and acquitted Isiaka on the third count of endangering life, ruling that the prosecution did not prove this allegation beyond reasonable doubt.
Throughout the trial, Isiaka denied all allegations, maintaining that he was not involved in the robbery and that he did not have access to any injection materials, disputing claims that the victim had been injected with any substance.
The death sentence highlights Nigeria’s continued use of capital punishment for serious offences such as armed robbery, which is a capital crime under Nigerian law. Cases involving the death penalty often draw attention to issues such as fairness in legal proceedings, prolonged pre‑trial detention, and treatment of inmates on death row.
Isiaka has the right to appeal the judgement to higher courts, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, where both procedural and substantive aspects of the case can be reviewed.
The case serves as a reminder of the severity with which Nigerian courts treat armed robbery and the complexities involved in criminal trials spanning multiple years.
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