Fresh details have emerged on why the Inspector General of Police (IGP), through the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), sealed the operational base and Ife Central office of the Osun Amotekun Corps following the recent killings in Akinlalu community, Ife North Local Government Area.
It was gathered that Amotekun operatives allegedly invaded Akinlalu Market Square, killing three members of the same family and another resident, while several others sustained gunshot wounds.
Following the incident, the IGP’s IRT team arrested 25 Amotekun officers and sealed the corps’ armoury base at Oke-Fia, Osogbo, and its Ife Central office.
During an inspection of Amotekun’s headquarters led by SP Rotimi Ogunmuyiwa, the police discovered five cells, including underground detention facilities, where four suspects had been held for over six weeks. One detainee alleged that operatives demanded ₦150,000 for bail.
The police described the detentions as unlawful, ordering that the suspects be handed over to nearby police divisions.
Reacting, Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, condemned the police action, calling it unconstitutional and politically motivated. He argued that Amotekun was created by law and should not have been shut down without consultation with the state government.
Egbedun also alleged political interference by Senator Francis Fadahunsi and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, claiming the closure could jeopardize state security.
However, Senator Fadahunsi defended the move, accusing Amotekun operatives of killings and lawlessness in his district, saying, “Amotekun office has become the home of murderers. From February till date, I’ve lost 12 people to Amotekun’s bullets.”
Civil society groups under the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) have demanded the suspension of Amotekun operations, prosecution of those responsible for the killings, compensation for victims’ families, and a Judicial Panel of Inquiry.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, through his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, has meanwhile commended the IGP for investigating the incident, urging that due process and rule of law be followed.
Amid the ongoing probe, Akinlalu residents say they continue to face threats from aggrieved Amotekun operatives allegedly vowing to retaliate if the community pursues justice for slain victims.
