Five Oyo men to die by hanging for murder

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, the state capital, on Monday, handed down the ultimate sentence to five men found guilty of killing a taxi driver, Akeem Shittu, during a violent confrontation in 2024.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi ruled that Segun Taiwo (36), Kehinde Ademola (46), Yahaya Adeniyi (45), Chinonso Samson (41) and Opadotun Michael (32) were jointly responsible for the conspiracy and murder of Shittu.

“I am of the considered view that the court could safely infer conspiracy in the acts that led to the death of Shittu,” he declared.

He, therefore, imposed a 20-year prison sentence on each defendant for conspiracy, before pronouncing the death penalty for the charge of murder.

“On count two, each of the defendants is sentenced to death by hanging,” Ajayi declared.

Earlier, State Counsel, K. K. Oloso, had narrated how a minor road incident spiralled into a deadly attack.

She explained that on April 10, 2024, around 8:30 p.m., on Elepe, Arulogun Road, in the Ojoo area of Ibadan, the defendants and others still at large attacked Shittu after he accidentally hit a motorcycle carrying two passengers.

“The parties reportedly moved to a nearby pub to settle the matter. There, the motorcyclists’ group allegedly demanded N50,000 for treatment, but Shittu managed to offer only N8,000. He was prevented from leaving, stripped naked, and although he managed to flee briefly, he was later cornered and hacked to death with a machete.”

Investigators later discovered his taxi and handkerchief abandoned in front of a shop belonging to one of the convicts’ wives.

The prosecution emphasised that the offences are contrary to Sections 316 and punishable under Section 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000, which prescribe severe penalties for conspiracy and homicide.