The Amotekun corps was established in Ondo state in 2020 as part of a regional security initiative aimed at tackling insecurity, including kidnapping and banditry. Designed as a community-based policing outfit, it recruits locals, including retired security personnel and civilians, to support formal security agencies. However, behind its mandate to protect lives and property, tensions are growing over staff welfare, transparency, and accountability.
For three operatives — Taiwo Abu, Victor Akinsipe, and Julius Ekujumi — service in the corps has reportedly turned into a harrowing experience. On October 27, 2025, Adetunji Adeleye, the Ondo Amotekun commander, declared the trio wanted over allegations of gross misconduct, including breaching oaths of secrecy and undermining the organisation.
The officers, however, insist their troubles began after they demanded appointment and confirmation letters that would formalise their employment, integrate them into the state payroll, and guarantee benefits such as pensions and job security. They said similar documents had long been issued to Amotekun operatives in Osun, Ekiti, and Ogun states.
The dispute gained public attention after Adeleye accused the officers of being sponsored to discredit the corps during a press briefing. He warned against social media campaigns and said identity and warrant cards were reserved for fully recognised government staff.
Speaking with TheCable, Akinsipe, an ICT specialist and drone pilot with the corps, alleged that the refusal to issue appointment letters was linked to corruption and lack of transparency within the organisation. He claimed the command maintains ghost workers on its payroll, alleging that while the official strength of Ondo Amotekun is about 1,186 operatives, salaries are purportedly paid for as many as 3,500 people.
According to Akinsipe, issuing formal letters would prompt a proper headcount and expose discrepancies. He said their demands were initially pursued through peaceful channels, including letters to the governor, head of service, attorney-general, and other top officials.
He further alleged that a meeting convened on October 23, 2025, in Akure turned violent, with security operatives allegedly attempting to arrest them. Akinsipe said he was attacked and injured while trying to escape, adding that he was targeted because he led the correspondence with government officials.
After fleeing, the trio reported the matter to the governor’s office and later approached the Ondo state high court to challenge their declaration as wanted, arguing that it was done without a court order. They also accused the state government of frustrating the court process, alleging repeated absences by Amotekun’s legal representatives.
The personal toll, they said, has been severe. Akinsipe disclosed that he has been in hiding since his wife gave birth, missing his child’s naming ceremony and struggling with fear and emotional distress.
Abu described an even more traumatic ordeal, alleging that he was shot at and later trailed to his home. In a video shared online, he displayed a T-shirt riddled with bullet holes. He claimed his wife was later chased out of their home by security operatives, sustaining a broken leg in the process.
The officers also raised broader concerns about leadership practices within the corps, alleging that individuals with minimal educational qualifications are promoted over graduates to suppress internal dissent.
Ondo Amotekun has previously faced allegations of abuse. In 2023, a court ordered the corps to pay N30 million in damages over the shooting of a resident in Okitipupa.
Efforts by TheCable to obtain responses from the Ondo state government and Adeleye were unsuccessful, as calls and messages were not returned.
As the legal battle continues, the officers’ accounts have reignited questions about transparency, workers’ rights, and oversight in state-funded security outfits. For now, they remain in hiding, seeking redress from a system they say has turned against them.
