It’s been 2 years since the inauguration of a local Security Outfit, codenamed Amotekun Corps in Ogun state. Our correspondent, Hakeem Adegbenro takes a look at the activities of the security outfit, vis a vis it’s spelt out code of conduct.
Amotekun, which is a codename for the Western Security Network (WSN), was set up after the South-West Security Summit held on June 25th, 2019 in Ibadan, Oyo state with a purpose to stem the tide of insecurities among the six South-West states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti.
Imbued with the state of ceaseless security breaches that have permeated the region, governors and leaders of the member States collectively saw a critical need to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies in the states, especially with establishment of a truly indigenous security agency that understands the terrain, as part of a holistic approach to addressing insecurity in the South-West geopolitical zone. Hence, the birth of Amotekun.
The operatives of the security outfit were therefore carefully selected, screened and trained to secure lives and properties, while all State governments were mandated to provide the security outfit with vehicles, motorcycles, communication gadgets, technical back-ups and the political will for an effective take-off and efficient operation.
Gov. Abiodun inaugurates Amotekun in Ogun
Following the inauguration of the security outfit in other States of the South West region, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State also inaugurated the security outfit on 1st of April, 2021 with appointment of a retired Commissioner of Police, Mr David Akinremi psc(+)rtd as the pioneer State Commander of the Corps.
During the inauguration in Abeokuta, the State capital, Abiodun noted that the operatives of the Amotekun security outfit had been carefully chosen and trained to secure lives and property.
He also added that the provision of equipment and recruitment of personnel would be a continuous exercise, saying the government expected a superlative performance from the operatives.
He urged them to diligently add value to strengthen the security of lives and property in the State, advising that they must carry out their duties within the ambit of the provisions of the laws establishing them.
“Your role is primarily to prevent crime. You are to do this through systematic intelligence gathering and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, especially the security network agencies of other states,” he said.
He also called on other security agencies to cooperate and collaborate with the Amotekun to form a synergy of purpose towards ensuring stronger security of lives and property in the state.
2 years down the line…
Meanwhile, a retrospect of the activities of the security outfit in the last two years of it’s inauguration has been a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly.
While Amotekun has been hailed for recording some superlative feats, it has also been found wanting in the discharge of it’s duties as spelt out in the terms of conditions and laws establishing it.
Amotekun Shoots Man, Detains Him for 3 Months in Ogun
In May, 24, 2022, One 28 year-old Ayodeji Eweje was arrested at Panseke, in Abeokuta during Governor Dapo Abiodun’s commissioning of the newly completed Adigbe-Opako road.
Ayodeji said while standing on the pedestrian bridge to have a gaze at the state governor, he was chased away from the pedestrian bridge by the operatives, before he was later arrested for an offense he knows nothing about till date
“They chased us away from the pedestrian bridge. While trying to find another suitable place to stand so I can get a clearer view of the governor, one officer of Amotekun arrested me and handcuffed me immediately. I asked what my offense was, the response I received was a slap on my face.” he said
That was the beginning of Ayodeji’s ordeal in the hands of Amotekun officers.
“I was taken to their office on that very day. Immediately I got there, I was beaten blue black. Till now, they’ve not told me what my offense was. I was not allowed to call anybody not until after some days one of their officers simply identified as Energy secretly gave me his phone to call my parent. I also described my house to him so he can help inform my people that I’ve been locked there.” he narrated
He added that about two months after he was detained at the Amotekun’s office in Abeokuta where he had been hanged, beaten and dehumanized on several occasion, at about 11pm, he was blindfolded and transported to another location which he later identified as imeko.
He also alleged that a certain, Emmanuel Aregbesola, the Imeko Afon Coordinator of the Corps, actually shot him and ordered that his leg be amputated but for the rejection of that hospital management
“They blindfolded me while taking me from their Abeokuta office to imeko. It was there the coordinator used cutlass to beat me. You can see the marks all over my body. I was hanged, chained and detained for almost 3 months before they placed a gun directly on my leg and shot me. I was fed only garri. I think they planned to use me to replace someone else.
“I was left untreated till the leg became smelly before i was taken to an hospital in imeko where the coordinator asked that the leg be amputated.
“The hospital people at imeko refused to cut my leg. They said without police report, nothing can be done. It was at that point they brought me back to Abeokuta for treatment at FMC”, Ayodeji said.
Amotekun denied arresting my son– Ayodeji Mother
Mrs Eweje, mother of Ayodeji said she visited Amotekun Office on four different occasions, but they denied having her son in their custody.
She noted that she had concluded that her child was dead before a certain Amotekun officer known as Energy came around to inform the family that her son was in their custody.
“When I told them it was their officer that came to me to tell me my child was with them, they said they don’t know anyone who by that name – Energy, neither do they have my child in their custody.
“I don’t know why they kept my child with them since May, 2022. People of Nigeria, please help me. I saw my son today at FMC, he can’t walk. His body is seriously battered. Nigerians please help me” she appealed
Amotekun officials are complicit to criminal activities – Human Rights Official
Comrade Oluwayemisi Brown, the founder OBF Justice and peace, a human right body, noted that she and her team had visited the security outfit’s office in Abeokuta on several occasions and they denied knowledge of the name; Ayodeji Eweje.
She added that it took the timely intervention of the Nigerian Police force for them to confess to having Ayodeji in their custody.
“Not until we wrote a petition to Eleweeran and the police intervened. These people keep denying the fact that they have Ayodeji in their custody.”
“This is a case of gross human rights violation on the path of these Amotekun officials. They’ve illegally detained him for months, they shot him, asked that his leg be cut off. Why?”
“There are lot of questions that needs to be answered from them. What was his offense? Why was he detained for months? Why was he taken to Imeko in such a style – blindfolded? Why was he shot at close range? Why was he not taken to the police headquarters even if he had committed any crime? Why was he beaten with cutlass? They have crossed their line and I doubt they even know what’s their constitutional duty.?”
“Justice must prevail”, she added
Tunde Olutayo, a ‘vulcaniser’ killed in his prime
Sometime in April 23, 2022, Tunde Olutayo who as at that time was a vulcaniser, was killed by operatives of Amotekun at the prime age of 25
Although, the Amotekun commander, CP Akinremi rtd, had tagged the diseased a cultist and armed robber who have been involved in different shades of criminalities, the mother’s testimony of his son was however different.
Akinremi claimed Tunde was a 30 year cult leader, who engaged his operatives in a gun battle before his arrest and subsequent death, his mother however revealed his son was 25 years, vulcanizer as the time of the incident.
Monsurat Alimi, the 49-year-old mother of the diseased revealed how her son was allegedly killed by operatives of the Amotekun Corps in Abeokuta, saying that she learnt of her 25-year-old son’s death on Facebook, where his corpse was posted with a gun on his chest, as he was tagged a cultist and an armed robber.
Amidst tears, the mother said “Help me, I have been cheated. Tunde had a wife and a child. He worked as a vulcanizer.
“On Saturday (April 23, 2022), I was called that Tunde was at the junction of his workshop and that was where they apprehended him.
“I learnt he was shot by the Amotekun corps the moment he tried to escape from the riverbank.
“When I got to the place where he was shot, eyewitnesses told me that he knew nothing about the incident.
“I was told that while he was being taken away, he pleaded that he was not a cultist nor an armed robber.
“My son was arrested by the roadside. He told them he had a sick mother, a wife and a child at home, yet they still killed him.
“I was told that they shot him while trying to escape when he saw that other people arrested have also escaped; that was how he was shot in the arm.
“Ever since the time we have been going to check on him, they never allowed us to see him until Saturday morning when we saw his death announcement on Facebook with a gun placed on his chest, claiming they found it on him. It is a lie.
“We urge the government to help ask the Amotekun to release to us his dead body. He was not a cultist. They did not inform us that he had been killed. It was on Facebook that we saw it.
“We want the government to find out what led to the killing of my son. Please help me; they want to cheat me with power. They killed my son and seized his corpse. Nigerians should help me,” the mother cried.
No court date for Sodade Sesan, a suspected armed robber in Amotekun cell
Sometime in 13th April, 2023, a press release with ref nos: AMT/AD.076/97 was signed by the Corps Commander, CP David A. Akinremi psc (+)rtd saying that a certain Sodade Sesan was arrested for armed robbery and attempted murder.
The press statement indicated that Sesan was arrested On 4th April, 2023 at about 10:00 hours at Anglican Church area, Ode-Remo in Remo North Local Government area of Ogun State.
It said one Mohammed Bashiru, a commercial motorcyclist while riding his Red Colour, Bajaj Boxer motorcycle with registration number SGM 220 WA valued Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand naira (N450,000.00K), in search of passengers, that one Sodade Sesan, aged 40 years pretended to be one, by flagging down the complainant.
“As soon as he stopped to convey him at Anglican Church area Ode-Remo, an agreement fare of N800 was reached to and fro Iperu. On arrival at Iperu, suspect discovered the location was not suitable to carry out his evil intention. He asked the complainant to proceed to Abuja Bar area at Ilisan Remo.
“At this location, the suspect saw that the area was lonely and suddenly brought out a sharp knife from his pocket while on motion, he slit the right side of his victim’s neck, pushed him off and snatched the motorcycle to unknown destination.
“The victim as a result of the injury, was rushed to Ogere Medical Centre, where he was treated and discharged.
“The suspect then removed the number plate of the motorcycle and dumped same in a latrine in his residence and took the motorcycle to a burial ground at Kehinde Avenue, Isara-Remo.
“Painstaking intelligence by our operatives led to his arrest and recovery of the stolen motorcycle, while he was looking for would be buyers. He confessed to the commission of the crime on interrogation”, the statement reads
The commander in the press statement however said, “the case is being transferred to the State CID for prosecution of the suspect”.
As at the time of filing this report, Sesan’s case was neither transferred to the state CID nor had any date in court. The last time our correspondent saw him, he was being transferred from the Abeokuta cell to Ode-Remo. His whereabouts was however not known till date.
Our correspondent’s visit…
When our correspondent visited the Corps office in Abeokuta for an on the spot assessment in lieu of this investigative report, he was outrightly refused entry into the command even after identifying himself as a journalist.
Although, having been briefed by his sources inside the command about the commando style of the operatives, he decided to try his luck.
Haven been bounced once, our correspondent decided to go back after two months, this time, as a ‘relative’ of one of the detained operatives of the Amotekun Corps. Luckily, none of the operatives on duty recognized his face from the previous encounter.
Detained Amotekun operatives, Their story
Sometime in February, 2023, before the general elections, a certain Idowu Akintoye and Samuel Lekan were detained by the command for allowing some alleged criminals in their custody to escape.
They were alleged for conspiracy and negligence, and therefore were detained pending the ‘return’ or rearrest of the said criminals’.
While Idowu was detained in Abeokuta, Lekan was however transferred to Ijebu Ode cell, according to one the operatives questioned by our correspondent.
Investigation however revealed that the suspected kidnappers, Ibrahim Babuga and Mohammed Abubakar, were intercepted after the kidnap of a couple, Jimoh Tunde and Muinat Tunde from their residence at Oke Afin in Ibara Orile last November 17, 2022.
The kidnap gang was said to be involved in several abduction of people at Soyoye, Alamala, Ibara Orile and Olorunda in Abeokuta north.
They were however not handed over to the police for prosecution until their escape from the Amotekun cell in February, 2023.
I don’t know my fate after 2 months in detention — Amotekun Operative
After disguising to be a relative of Idowu Akintoye, our correspondent was allowed to see him, in the presence of two other Amotekun operatives listening to their conversation.
Idowu revealed that on the fateful day, he and the other operative were placed in charge of some arrested kidnappers. The suspected kidnappers asked to be allowed to do their prayers and as a Muslim too, he obliged them, howbeit with the handcuff on them.
He added that he misjudged the intentions of the suspects as they later escaped from their custody when it seems they have lost guide on them
He however said that since he has been in detention, nobody have told him what to expect having been given query on the incident.
“I know it was our fault that they escaped but since over two months, after answering different queries, I still don’t know my fate.
“I am starving here. I hardly eat as my family members were not allowed to see me. You will be the first I have seen in about a month and half that I have been detained here.
“I feel for my parents who look up to me for their daily bread. I wonder the position of things at home right now”, a sickening Idowu narrated in faint voice
I have not heard from my husband since February– Akintoye Wife
Toyin Akintoye, the wife to one of the detained operatives of the Amotekun Corps narrated to our correspondent how the sudden journey of her husband to Incarceration began.
“Sometime in February, before the presidential election. I was called that my husband has been detained at their office with one other person for allowing some criminals in their care to escape.
“I ran there with his elder sister and we saw him in handcuff on both legs and hands with just his office trouser on.
“We were not even allowed to talk to him and ask any questions to at least know how it all happened.
“When I made enquires as to what next, some of the officers there just told me to start praying for him because the commander will not release them until those criminals return to custody.
“Since then, we have not heard from him again. We can’t even call him and if we go there, we are not allowed to see him. We don’t even know if he is still alive or dead. Please help us o”, she stressed
I can’t walk, his mom is blind, yet my son is no where to assist us– Pa Akintoye laments
The over 80 years old Pa Solagbade Akintoye in a shaking voice appealed to the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun to intervene in the case of his son, saying that his continued detention has left a toll on his fragile health.
He stated that Idowu Akintoye, his son, is the breadwinner of the family as he and his mum could bearing do anything for themselves anymore.
“I am over 80 years old now. I am even diagnosed with stroke. His mom, my wife is also close to 80 years, she is blind. So, we are both helpless. He is the only one assisting us.
“I am begging the governor to look into this matter of my son being detained since February without any trial or court date.
“I don’t understand how you will detain someone forever saying until criminals return into custody before they can be released. How would that happened?
“We know we are poor, we don’t have anyone except God but please ask the Governor to intervene on our behalf. We voted for him as our governor”, Pa Akintoye appealed
Slow process of investigation, reason for their continued detention – Amotekun 2i/c
Mainwhile, Omolekan Samuel, the 2i/c investigation of Ogun Amotekun said the continued incarceration of the two operatives was due to the slow process in dealing with their files at the Bureau of Establishment and Training.
He said though he is not in the admin section of the command, he is however sure their disciplinary case would have been forwarded to the appropriate quarters.
He added that the fear of the two operatives absconding is one of the reasons they are still in custody, pending the outcome of the investigation.
“Although, I am not in the admin section, but I believe their case file would have been submitted to Oke-Mosan. You know that because of the gravity of their offense, they may run away, that is why we have continued to keep them here”, he said
We are not aware of their arrests- PPRO
When contacted, the Ogun state Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi said the command is not aware of any arrests made by the Amotekun Corps, saying that no suspects were handed over to it for prosecution.
He noted that, “They are not obligated to keep any suspects more than the constitutionally approved 24 hours, as even the police don’t have such power to keep a suspect beyond normal.
“They have not handed over any suspects to us. And as such, I can say we are not aware of their arrests. It is what they tell us that we would know”, he maintained.
Meanwhile, all efforts to reach the corps Commander, CP David Akinremi rtd proved abortive as he was said not to be available.
Culled from Blueprint Newspaper of Wednesday April 26th, 2023
