Osun State Police Command Addresses Violence in Akinlalu
Osun State Police Command has made it clear that they will take action against those responsible for the violence that occurred in Akinlalu, a community within Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State. The incident involved operatives from the Osun Amotekun Corps, who were accused of killing three individuals.
The spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, provided updates on the situation during an interview with Saturday PUNCH. He confirmed that the Amotekun operatives involved in the killings had been identified and that the police were committed to ensuring their prosecution.
Ojelabi also mentioned that the police had met with representatives from the affected community, promising a thorough investigation into the incident. “We met the affected people in the community, and they have given us their statements, and we are still investigating,” he said.
When asked if the Amotekun operatives had been invited to cooperate, Ojelabi stated, “Some of them have been identified, and there is no place to hide. Many of them are on the run, but definitely we will get them, except they leave Osun State.”
Residents of Akinlalu reported that the Amotekun operatives invaded the town on Tuesday, leading to the deaths of three residents. According to the accounts of the locals, the Amotekun men acted without any provocation and took away the corpses of the deceased after the attack.
They also mentioned that approximately 10 people sustained gunshot injuries during the attack and were admitted to hospitals in Ipetumodu, Gbongan, and Yakooyo.
Background of the Incident
Recalling the events that led to the attack, Kamardeen Babarinde, an indigene of Akinlalu, explained that some farmers in Aba Oba, a village under the community, had invited Amotekun operatives to receive some suspected thieves who allegedly stole cocoa beans. The villagers had arrested the suspects.
Babarinde continued, “That was on Monday, and the Amotekun men sent their operatives to Aba Oba. But those suspected thieves, while being moved from Aba Oba to Akinlalu, engaged in a physical struggle with the Amotekun operatives that came to receive them from the villagers that arrested them. During that incident, one of the suspected thieves and an Amotekun sustained injury. That happened on Monday. Immediately the news of that incident reached the community, the head of the community youth went to the Amotekun office and they settled the matter. In the morning on Tuesday, these Amotekun men came back to Akinlalu and met Olori Odo (Head of Community Youth) and others.”
The meeting was held to deliberate on the incident that occurred on Monday, and they resolved it. However, later that same Tuesday, between 12:00 and 1:00 pm, the Amotekun men returned to Akinlalu and began shooting sporadically. Babarinde, who was close to the scene, described how women, children, and youth were shot on the road.
He added, “The suspects that had issues with them on Monday are sons to an ex-military personnel living in Akinlalu. Instead of going to the man’s house, they attacked everyone they saw on the streets. They shot unarmed people.”
According to Babarinde, about 14 people were shot, with three critically injured. The Amotekun men involved in the attack hurriedly left the scene, and shortly after, when people came out to help the injured, the operatives returned and forcibly took away those who were critically injured. All four eventually died, including two men from the same mother.
Conflicting Accounts of the Incident
Another resident of Akinlalu, identified as Jeleel, claimed to be close to the scene of the incident. He reported that Amotekun men arrived in three vans and shot unarmed people. He also mentioned that the incident was reported at the Ipetumodu Division of the Nigerian Police Force and urged the appropriate authorities to ensure those involved in the attack are identified and punished.
Earlier reports from The PUNCH indicated that the management of Osun Amotekun Corps stated that three people were killed during a clash between its operatives and some suspected hoodlums in Akinlalu.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Idowu Yusuf, the security organization claimed that the hoodlums had ambushed its men responding to a distress call in Akinlalu and forcibly took three rifles from them. Yusuf also mentioned that a backup team sent to the scene was attacked by the hoodlums at Akinlalu junction, leading to a gunfight in which three lives were lost.
According to official reports, the operatives were dispatched from the Amotekun Command in Ile-Ife following an emergency call from Akinlalu residents, who reported a group of suspected bandits invading farmlands in the area. Four Amotekun operatives mobilized on motorcycles to address the situation and ensure the safety of the local population.
Tragically, while en route to Akinlalu, the team was ambushed by armed assailants, suspected to be the same group terrorizing the community. During the sudden attack, two service rifles belonging to the Amotekun Corps were forcibly taken by the assailants.
Upon receiving news of the ambush, reinforcement operatives were deployed and approached Akinlalu with the intention of engaging peacefully, including paying a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of the town. However, at the T-junction leading into Akinlalu, the road was found barricaded by the assailants, who immediately opened fire on the operatives, triggering a fierce gun battle that lasted for over an hour.
Despite the intensity of the attack, the Amotekun operatives successfully overpowered the assailants. In the aftermath of the encounter, three lives were confirmed lost, including individuals believed to be among the attackers. Three were arrested, while several others sustained injuries and fled the scene.
The Corps also reported recovering from the hideout of the suspected hoodlums two firearms stolen during the ambush, along with security uniforms and berets.
