Court Sentences Man To Death By Hanging For Armed Robbery

By Christianah Oladosu,Osogbo

Bauchi State High Court has sentenced a man from Bacas Quarters, Shamsuddeen Saidu, to death by hanging after convicting him of armed robbery.

In a judgment delivered on February 16, 2026, Justice Mukhtar Abubakar of High Court No. 10 said the prosecution had proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt.

He held that Saidu committed armed robbery contrary to Section 1(2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The judge explained that the law makes the death penalty compulsory for the offence, leaving the court with no discretion in sentencing. He then ordered that the convict be hanged until he is dead.

Saidu was arraigned on March 10, 2021, on a single count of armed robbery. The charge was read and explained to him in a language he understood, and he pleaded not guilty, leading to the commencement of trial.

According to the prosecution, on May 4, 2021, around 9 pm.l, along the Kangere-Sabon Gari village road in Bauchi, the defendant, armed with a sharp object, attacked a commercial motorcyclist, Adamu Waziri.
The victim reportedly suffered serious injuries and lost consciousness before his Boxer motorcycle was taken.

To prove its case, the prosecution team, led by A.S. Gumba, with Dayyabu Ayuba, presented three witnesses and tendered exhibits.

The court described their evidence as clear, consistent and not shaken under cross-examination. It also held that both direct and circumstantial evidence clearly connected the defendant to the crime.

After the prosecution closed its case, the court ruled that there was a case to answer and asked the defendant to present his defence.

Saidu, who testified as the only defence witness, denied committing the offence and urged the court to free him.

However, the court said his testimony contained inconsistencies and did not weaken the strong evidence presented by the prosecution.

In its final decision, the court held that the victim was robbed, the robbery was carried out with a weapon capable of causing serious harm, and the defendant was properly identified as the offender. It therefore found him guilty as charged and imposed the mandatory sentence.