UK Jails Nigerian Student 7 Years Over TikTok Robbery Plot

​A Leicester Crown Court has handed down a seven-year prison sentence to 19-year-old Nigerian student Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola for his role in a violent robbery and blackmail plot. His co-defendant, 20-year-old Richile Vangu, received an 11-year jail term accompanied by a three-year extended licence period. Together, the pair received a combined 18 years behind bars following a trial that exposed a campaign of intimidation, physical assault, and digital humiliation recorded for social media.

​The Incident and Modus Operandi

​The criminal proceedings established that the attacks originated at a private gathering in North Kilworth, Leicestershire, on November 21, 2025. Vangu, who operated under the alias “Trixta,” orchestrated the operation by recruiting accomplices, including Akinrinola.

​During the party, at least eight attendees were cornered and forced into a bedroom. The victims faced threats from a large “zombie-style knife” while being stripped of designer apparel and valuables. Investigators detailed how Vangu demanded £1,000 from each victim under threat of stabbing. In a degrading twist designed for online exposure, the perpetrators forced captives to perform dance routines for TikTok while filming the encounters.

​The violence extended beyond the initial party location. Several victims were subsequently transported to student accommodation situated on Bath Lane in Leicester, where physical abuse escalated. Evidence presented in court revealed that Akinrinola subjected captives to mandatory physical conditioning exercises—including star jumps and high knees—before administering repeated punches. Meanwhile, Vangu targeted victims with a BB gun, a belt for whipping, facial waxing, and threats to sever their dreadlocks if financial demands went unmet.

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​Judge Steven Evans characterised the acts as “torture” and degradation, pointing out Vangu’s absolute lack of empathy. Vangu compounded the offences by uploading incriminating footage of the abuse onto TikTok, which ultimately served as pivotal evidence for the prosecution.

​Legal Outcomes

​The jury delivered the following verdicts:

• ​Richile Vangu: Convicted of four counts of robbery, 10 counts of blackmail, and one count of actual bodily harm. Sentenced to 11 years imprisonment with a three-year extended licence.
• ​Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola: Convicted of four counts of robbery, nine counts of blackmail, and two counts of actual bodily harm; acquitted of one count of blackmail. Sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
• ​Benjamin Osadolor & Ayomide Ibraheem: Both 19-year-olds were cleared of all charges and acquitted.

​Family’s Defense and Appeal

​Prior to the sentencing, Akinrinola’s parents, Aderinkola and Olayinka Akinrinola, publicly maintained their son’s innocence, attributing his legal troubles to “guilt by association.” They stated that their son had arrived at Leicester University in September 2025 and only recently became acquainted with Vangu.

​The family contended that the conviction relied heavily on circumstantial evidence. According to the parents, certain victims testified that Akinrinola was not among the active robbers, police recovered no stolen goods from his living quarters, and financial audits revealed no illicit transfers into his accounts. Furthermore, they asserted that CCTV footage merely verified his arrival at the venue rather than participation in the crimes. Emphasizing that their son proactively reached out to law enforcement upon discovering his likeness in circulation, the family has urged British authorities to review the verdict.