A Cross River State High Court in Calabar has convicted and sentenced Okon Effiong, a 33-year-old man, to death for aggravated assault, rape and armed robbery, in a judgment delivered on Monday, January 19, 2026.
The verdict came after the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, highlighting Nigeria’s legal stance on severe sexual offences coupled with violent crime.
Presiding over the case, Justice Blessing Egwu found Effiong guilty of participating in a gang-related attack in April 2024 along Mount Zion Street in Calabar South Local Government Area, where a woman and two children were sexually assaulted following an armed robbery.
The attackers also made away with valuables during the assault before law enforcement intervened.
The prosecution established that Effiong, acting with four accomplices, committed the offences as part of a coordinated criminal act. One of his partners died in custody before trial, while Effiong was apprehended by the Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Police, Cross River State Command.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Egwu underscored that the evidence presented met the stringent threshold required for capital punishment under Nigerian law.
The judge held that each element of the offences charged was sufficiently proven, justifying the imposition of the death penalty.
Reactions to the judgment included strong responses from legal observers and victims’ advocates. James Ibor, principal counsel of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), who monitored the trial, explained that the choice of the death penalty reflected both the gravity of the crimes and legal considerations under existing statutes, even amid ongoing debates about capital punishment and justice for serious sexual offences.
Effiong himself expressed regret for his actions, describing the sentence as “excessive,” though he acknowledged accountability for the crimes. Under Nigerian law, he retains the right to appeal the sentence up to the Supreme Court, a legal avenue his defence intends to pursue.
Effiong’s counsel, Bassey Otop, assigned from the Centre for Citizens’ Rights and Office of the Public Defender, confirmed the intention to file an appeal against the conviction and sentence.
One victim, who spoke under anonymity for safety reasons, said the memory of the attack remains painful, but she felt some measure of relief knowing that Effiong was definitively punished. “I am happy and I thank everyone who ensured this came to pass,” she said, expressing gratitude for the prosecution’s diligence and the court’s decision.
The case underscores the Nigerian judiciary’s enforcement of severe penalties for sexual violence, particularly involving minors, in line with national legal provisions that permit capital punishment for aggravated crimes including rape combined with other offences such as armed robbery.
As Effiong’s legal team prepares its appeal, human rights groups and civil society organisations continue to advocate for both justice for survivors and broader discussions about sentencing frameworks for heinous crimes in Nigeria, especially those involving children and vulnerable adults.
