Osun State Governor Launches Full Investigation into Akinlalu Tragedy
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the recent killing of several residents in Akinlalu Community by operatives of the Amotekun Corps. This decision came after receiving a preliminary report from his Special Adviser on Security Matters, which detailed the tragic incident.
The governor has also sent a high-level government delegation to the affected community to understand the events that transpired. The details of Adeleke’s decision were outlined in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, during an event in Osogbo on Saturday.
Rasheed stated that the governor was deeply shocked by the deaths of individuals from the town and emphasized the need for further briefings. A State Security Council meeting is scheduled for Monday to discuss the incident and other emerging security threats in the state.
Adeleke vowed to investigate the root causes of the incident and announced that a high-powered delegation of government and service chiefs will visit the affected town after the scheduled meeting. The delegation includes key officials such as the Special Adviser on Security Matters, the Commissioner for Information, and the Attorney General of the State.
“I am a rule of law Governor. This matter is being investigated, and any infraction will be dealt with within the context of the law. I have ordered a security council meeting on this incident and others, such as fears of spill-over from Kwara banditry attacks,” Adeleke said.
He expressed his condolences to the victims and urged the people of Akinlalu to remain calm while the government handles the matter. “I feel their pains, but investigations are ongoing,” he added.
Political Group Condemns Amotekun Operatives’ Actions
Meanwhile, the Omoluabi Progressives, a political group backed by the former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has condemned the actions of the Amotekun Corps in Akinlalu Village. The group expressed concern over the “reckless shooting” that led to the loss of innocent lives and inflicted trauma on the community.
In a statement signed by its Publicity and Organising Secretary, Oluwaseun Abosede, the group criticized the lack of professional restraint by those entrusted with protecting the people. They called for accountability and justice for the victims.
“We demand that justice be served to those who lost their loved ones; that those who are receiving treatment in hospitals be given the best medical care; that families whose property were destroyed and looted by the rampaging operatives be adequately compensated; and, most importantly, that the perpetrators of this heinous act be identified, prosecuted, and brought to book without delay,” the group said.
Osun State Police Command Investigates Incident
The Osun State Police Command has also pledged to ensure that all those involved in the incident are held accountable. Spokesperson Abiodun Ojelabi confirmed that the operatives involved in the killings had been identified and assured the community that investigations would be thorough.
“We met the affected people in the community, and they have given us their statement, and we are still investigating,” Ojelabi said.
Residents of Akinlalu accused the Amotekun operatives of killing three people when they invaded the town on Tuesday. They claimed the operatives acted without provocation and took away the corpses of those they killed after the attack.
About 10 people sustained gunshot injuries in the attack and were admitted to hospitals in Ipetumodu, Gbongan, and Yakooyo.
Conflicting Accounts of the Incident
Recalling the incident that preceded the attack, an indigene of Akinlalu, Kamardeen Babarinde, said some farmers in Aba Oba, a village under the community, invited Amotekun operatives to receive some suspected thieves that allegedly stole Cocoa beans, whom the villagers arrested.
He explained that the suspected thieves engaged in a physical struggle with the Amotekun operatives, resulting in an injury to one of the suspects and an operative. The matter was settled, but later that day, the Amotekun operatives returned and shot indiscriminately, killing three people.
Another resident, Jeleel, who was close to the scene, said Amotekun men came in three vans and shot unarmed people.
Amotekun Corps’ Statement on the Incident
Earlier, the management of Osun Amotekun Corps stated that three people were killed during a clash between its operatives and some suspected hoodlums in Akinlalu. According to the security organization’s spokesperson, Idowu Yusuf, the hoodlums ambushed the Amotekun operatives responding to a distress call in Akinlalu and forcibly took three rifles from them.
Yusuf also mentioned that a backup team was attacked at Akinlalu junction, leading to an exchange of gunfire, after which three people lost their lives.
“The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, and resulted in a deadly confrontation between the corps and suspected armed hoodlums,” Yusuf said.
The Corps also recovered two firearms stolen during the ambush, along with security uniforms and berets from the hideout of the suspected hoodlums.
