An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the remand of 10 men in a correctional facility over alleged involvement in armed robbery and murder.
The accused — Sheriff Lawal (27), Lawal Bashit (23), Oyewale Sodiq (30), Akeem Ogunyemi (41), Kazeem Afolayan (40), Akeem Raji (37), Olabode Hammed (25), Yusuf Lekan (26), Ayomide John (23), and Samuel Okezie (32) — are facing six charges, including conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder.
Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Gladys Oladele, declined to take their pleas, stating that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter at this stage. She ordered that the case file be forwarded to the Oyo State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
She adjourned the matter until July 21, 2025, for further mention.
According to the police prosecutor, Sergeant Samuel Owolabi, the incident occurred on May 15, 2025, around 9:30 p.m. at Oak Hotel near Moniya, Ibadan. Owolabi told the court that the suspects allegedly stormed the hotel armed with sticks and cutlasses and robbed a man identified as Shuaibu Adam of N100,000.
During the robbery, the suspects allegedly beat another man, 23-year-old Abdul Isah, to death using sticks, and also inflicted severe injuries on Adam.
The prosecution said the offences are in violation of Sections 516 (criminal conspiracy) and 319 (murder) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The police are continuing their investigation while awaiting legal advice from the DPP, which will determine whether the case proceeds to the High Court for full trial.
This case highlights the ongoing struggle with violent crime in urban centres like Ibadan, where robbery and related attacks continue to pose threats to lives and property. The Oyo State Police Command has urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities as investigations into the case continue.
As the case returns to court in July, the public and the families of the victims await justice in what is now one of the state’s high-profile violent crime cases of 2025.