After years of legal battles, Major Akeem Aderogba Oseni can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed an appeal filed by the Nigerian Army seeking to reinstate his conviction for manslaughter—a charge that had already been overturned by the Court of Appeal.
It all started in February 2017 when Oseni and three other officers—Major O. Osawe, Captain S. Amosu, and Lieutenant Dogary—were ordered to discipline Lance Corporal Benjamin Collins, who had attempted to escape from detention.
However, within minutes, Oseni reportedly stopped the drilling, counselled the soldier, and called in a superior officer, who further admonished Collins before sending him back to his detention facility.
Hours later, Oseni learned that Collins was struggling with his leg cuffs. Acting swiftly, he and another officer took the soldier to the Defence Headquarters Medical Centre. Tragically, Collins was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The incident led to a court-martial, where Oseni was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison on February 7, 2020.
However, his co-accused, Captain Amosu, was acquitted, while the other two officers were later discharged and cleared of all charges by the Army Council in November 2020.
Determined to clear his name, Oseni took his case to the Court of Appeal, which ruled in his favour, overturning his conviction. The Nigerian Army, dissatisfied with the ruling, escalated the matter to the Supreme Court.
However, in a twist of events, the Army failed to complete the necessary appeal process by compiling and transmitting the required records. This led the Supreme Court to dismiss the case outright.
Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji stated: “Application filed on 9/10/2023 for an order dismissing this appeal for failure to compile and transmit record of appeal is hereby granted as prayed. The said appeal No. SC/CR/948/2023 is hereby dismissed.”
With this judgment, Major Oseni’s long legal battle has come to an end, affirming his exoneration.
His legal team, comprising David Ogundipe, Abdulwahab Abdulakeem, Aisha Okuribido, and Oluwafemi Oluwadamisi of Earnest Attorneys LP, successfully defended his case through the appellate process.
This ruling marks a significant moment in Oseni’s fight for justice. After years of legal uncertainty, the Supreme Court’s decision ensures that his acquittal stands—bringing the case to a definitive close.
