Banditry: Osun Amotekun is Needed now

Read Time:3 Minute, 40 Second

It’s been four months since the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team from the office of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun busted the operational base and Ife Central base of Osun Amotekun Corps , sealed it permanently and arrested some of its operatives.

This action is due to an alleged invasion of Akinlalu Market Square by some Amotekun operatives, killing three members of a family and another individual leaving several others with gunshot injuries.

Few days after the Akinlalu incident, Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Isaac Omoyele released a statement revealing that he was attacked by unknown gunmen shooting sporadically at his car. This led to the Police inviting him to come and offer explanation into his allegation of assassination attempt on his life.

Following the police action, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, condemned the sealing of Amotekun offices, describing it as unconstitutional. He insisted that the outfit was established by law to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies.

Egbedun said, “It is deeply troubling that an agency created by law and funded by the state government could be summarily shut down without consultation. If any security breach occurs in Osun as a result, the Police Force will be held accountable.”

After the arrest of over 20 Amotekun operatives as reported by The Punch, even though Police through its PRO said it only arrested 5 operatives, The Corps Commander, Omoyele was also invited by the Police to come explain his involvement in the Akinlalu incident.

Osun Spring learnt that Omoyele honoured Police invitation and reported at the NPF headquarters in Abuja where he has been detained alongside all the operatives arrested without trial for four months now.

While Osun Spring condemns extra judicial killings, it is worthy to note that there is no law that allows the Police to detain suspects for as long as four months without trial.

Recently there has been attacks by unknown gunmen in towns that shares border with Osun especially in Kwara state as well as two cases of kidnapping in Ora Igbomina, a community in Osun State sharing boundary with Kwara State.

Osun Spring notes that the absence of the leadership of Amotekun has created a gap allowing insecurity to creep into Osun especially the bordering communities.

Governor Ademola Adeleke in a statement recently called on the Police IG, Kayode Egbetokun to unseal Amotekun Operations Base and Ife Central Local Government office stating that the absence of Amotekun Operatives exposes Osun people to serious risk.

“I am taking this matter to the public domain in view of another kidnapping at Ora Igbomina. Closing down Amotekun exposes Osun people to serious risks. I call on the Inspector General of Police to unseal Amotekun and allow its operatives to secure my people across the grassroots.

“Those officers in detention should be charged to court after several months of incarceration. Any further delay in the unsealing of Amotekun will further jeopardise the safety and security of our people”.

Osun Spring hereby joins the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to call the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to direct the immediate unsealing of Amotekun offices as well as prosecution of detained operatives to ascertain their involvement in the incident. Any operative found not guilty should also be immediately released.

With the current security challenges in neighbouring states, Osun Spring calls on Governor Ademola Adeleke to immediately review the structure and architecture of Osun Amotekun to ensure it’s operatives stay professional and law abiding.

Osun Spring calls on the Nigeria Police Force, Osun State Command, to consider Amotekun Corps as a support base for its operations especially at communities sharing border with neighbouring states to ensure safety of people in Osun state.

We note that Amotekun had in the past carried out series of successful operations which included rescuing of kidnap victims, and very recently arrest of armed robbers on a highway in Osun. This is an indication that we can not completely jettison the agency because of the undoing of few operatives. Even the Police have operatives that err and they are often dealt with without bringing down the entire Police structure.

Osun Spring urges the Osun State Government to ensure that the process of recruitment into the Amotekun Corps is about capacity and competence, not political affiliation.

Osun Spring

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