Five Convicted in Savage Taxi Driver Killing Sentenced to Death

In a chilling verdict, five men have been sentenced to death by hanging for the savage murder of taxi driver Akeem Shittu in Ibadan last year. The Oyo State High Court, presided over by Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi, handed down the sentences on Monday, also imposing 20-Year prison terms for conspiracy charges.

The convicted men, Segun Taiwo (36), Kehinde Ademola (46), Yahaya Adeniyi (45), Chinonso Samson (41), and Opadotun Michael (32), were found guilty of orchestrating Shittu’s murder following a minor road accident in Arulogun, Akinyele Local Government Area.

According to State Counsel K. K. Oloso, the tragedy began on April 10, 2024, around 8:30 p.m., when Shittu accidentally collided with a motorcycle carrying two passengers on Elepe, Arulogun Road, Ojoo. The incident escalated at a nearby pub, where the motorcyclists’ group demanded N50,000 for medical treatment. Shittu could only offer N8,000, sparking a violent confrontation.

“The driver was prevented from leaving, stripped naked, and though he briefly escaped, he was later cornered and hacked to death with a machete,” the prosecutor told the court. Investigators later found Shittu’s taxi and handkerchief abandoned in front of a shop owned by one of the convicts’ wives.

Justice Ajayi stated that the evidence clearly demonstrated a premeditated conspiracy, justifying both the 20-year prison sentences for conspiracy and the death penalties for murder. The convictions, under Sections 316, 319, and 324 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000, serve as a stern warning against mob violence and criminal collusion.

The case has left residents of Ibadan shaken, highlighting the deadly consequences of escalated disputes and the importance of law enforcement in curbing such acts of brutality.