A former banker turned businessman, Olufemi Olalekan Olushakin, along with two accomplices, has been arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on charges of robbery.
Olushakin, who remains at large, and the other defendants, Ayomide Akanbi and David Adewale, are accused of conspiring to commit armed robbery, an offence under Section 6 (B) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, Cap RII Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
According to Inspector Kefas Usman, the police prosecutor, Olushakin—a former branch manager at a second-generation bank and currently the Chairman of LAC Autos & Spare Ltd.—is alleged to have collaborated with Akanbi, Adewale, and others on the night of December 13, 2024, to forcefully enter the premises of Global Signature Hotel in Ibadan.
The suspects reportedly overpowered the security guards at the gate before proceeding with their criminal activities.
The prosecutor detailed that the group forcefully entered the hotel’s control room, destroyed the CCTV memory, and disabled the surveillance system.
Inspector Usman stated, “After vandalizing it, they went to the POS machine, took the machines of the company, went to the manager of the hotel, one Dare Akinola, at gunpoint took him to the cash registry to collect all the sales of the week including room sales, lodgment, bar and hall payment totaling over N2,140,000 (Two million, One hundred and forty thousand Naira).
“They went to all the rooms, rounded up all the customers, and forcefully asked them to transfer money into Olushakin’s personal account during the robbery.
“At gunpoint, they gathered everybody to the reception, laid them down at gunpoint and in fear of their lives, the customers made cash transfers to Olushakin’s accounts, they vandalized some other things, took the lodgment book, computers, and other equipment.”
Following their arraignment, Chief Magistrate Giwa Babalola ordered Akanbi and Adewale to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Center in Ibadan.
The case was adjourned to January 29, 2025, for further mention.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command has intensified efforts to apprehend Olushakin, placing a bounty of N5 million on him for any information leading to his arrest.
The charges read in court included, “Count 1: That you (1) Ayomide Akanbi ‘M’ (2) David Adewole ‘M’ and one Olusakin Olufemi Olalekan ‘M’ now at large on 13th December, 2024, at about 5:00 pm at Global Signature Hotel, New Gbagi Road, Ibadan, in the Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire together to commit felony to-wit Armed Robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 6 (B) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R II Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.
“Count 11: That you (1) Ayomide Akanbi ‘M’ (2) David Adewole ‘M’ and one Olusakin Olufemi Olalekan ‘M’ now at large on the same date, time and place in the above Magisterial District while armed yourselves with guns and some other dangerous weapons did attack one Akinola Dare ‘M’ and also dispossessed him of cash sum of Two Million, One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (N2,140,000.00) only, property of Global Signature Hotel Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R II Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.”
