Human Rights activist and convener of the RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, has voiced his shock and disbelief over a recent ruling in Ekiti State where three individuals were sentenced to death by hanging for stealing a car.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) page, Sowore criticized the harsh punishment, emphasizing the unfairness and injustice of sentencing people to death for minor offenses while high-profile individuals accused of much more serious crimes, such as corruption and misappropriation of public funds, are often shielded from legal repercussions.

In his statement, Sowore also drew attention to the apparent double standard in the Nigerian justice system, highlighting the cases of two former governors of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and Kayode Fayemi, who are accused of embezzling billions of naira from the state’s coffers. Despite the gravity of their alleged crimes, both former governors have so far escaped legal retribution.
“Unbelievable! Two former governors of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose (@govayofayose) and Kayode Fayemi (@kfayemi), stole billions of naira from the state’s coffers. Fayose is undergoing trial for ₦6.9 billion fraud and money laundering, but I could bet he won’t get a jail term, let alone the death penalty.”, he wrote.
Sowore continued by noting that one of the former governors, Kayode Fayemi, even went as far as to obtain a court order to obstruct investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), effectively shielding himself from scrutiny. This, coupled with the fact that the same justice system would mete out death sentences for car theft, left Sowore to conclude that such disproportionate punishment was inexcusable and unjust.
“@kfayemi even got a court order to stop the @officialEFCC from probing him, but the Nigerian justice system is to hang two persons for stealing a car?
This is why I will never support the death penalty; it is meant for petty thieves! #Notodeathpenalty #Revolutionnow” he added.
Earlier reports had revealed that an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, had condemned three individuals to death by hanging for robbing a Toyota Camry owner at gunpoint.
The three defendants, Akingbade David, Michael Mayowa, and Ibrahim Mukaila, were brought before the court to face charges of armed robbery and conspiracy
The charge sheet against the three defendants stated that they had committed the criminal act of robbing Gbenga Ajayi of his Toyota Corolla car on March 1, 2019.
An Assistant Chief Legal Officer, O.F. Ajumobi, who prosecuted the case for Ekiti State, said, “The offences of conspiracy and armed robbery are contrary to Section 6(b)of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Vol.14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
The defendants, who were represented by Akin Abon, lyanu Olumuagun and Adeyinka Opaleke gave evidence in their defence and called no witnesses.
In the court judgment on Wednesday, Justice John Adeyeye held that “the prosecution proved all the ingredients of the offences against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.”
Adeyeye consequently pronounced the verdict of death by hanging for each of the defendants.
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