Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has warned that rising cases of banditry and kidnapping in neighbouring Kwara State could spill into Osun if the police continue to restrict the operations of the state’s Amotekun Corps.
In a statement released on Friday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke urged the police to lift the ban on Amotekun offices immediately to allow the security outfit to respond effectively to threats, particularly in rural border communities.
Reacting to a recent abduction in the Ora-Igbomina area of Kwara, the governor said Osun’s security response is currently “handicapped” because Amotekun offices have remained sealed and top officers detained without trial for several months.
He noted that the corps has developed specialised expertise in handling security threats, especially in rural and border areas, and warned that the continued shutdown has created a security vacuum now being exploited by criminals.
Adeleke called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to either charge the detained Amotekun operatives over the alleged killings in the Akinlalu community or release them, while also demanding the immediate reopening of the corps’ offices.
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“I am taking this matter to the public domain in view of another kidnapping at Ora-Igbomina. Closing down Amotekun exposes the Osun people to serious risks,” the governor said.
“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.”
Amotekun has largely been absent from Osun’s security operations since an alleged invasion of the Akinlalu community, during which at least three residents were reportedly killed.
Following the incident, some corps operatives, including the state commander, Adekunle Omoyele, were arrested by the police and transferred to Abuja.