I visited the popular Folasafeway pharmacy and stores, which are directly opposite Ilesa Grammar School, when a young man in his mid-twenties sighted me. Aremu, an undergraduate of the prestigious Federal University of Technology in Akure, shouted my name and struggled to move quickly towards me.
He wears a large bag on his back and carries two sack bags full of goods. I rapidly moved towards him to cover some ground, and we both proceeded to my car. Do you live in this area? I enquired. Yes, I live with my parents in Igbaye, which is an Ilesa neighborhood. Where exactly are you going? I asked further questions. To take a bus to Akure. “I am going to my school, FUTA,” he said.
I informed him that I would drop him off at the brewery intersection since I was heading to a radio programme at Unique 103.1 FM. He thanked me profusely as we loaded his stuff into the boot.
How did I know Aremu? As a fresh student of FUTA, he participated in a workshop where I spoke about insecurity, communal policing, and domestic intelligence as solutions.
He listened to my contributions, which he termed as scholarly and intriguing. After the workshop, he approached me and shared his views on my highlighted points.
During our talk, he learned that I am a writer and criminal specialist who also writes weekly about crucial problems. He collected my contact information, and we became casual acquaintances. He is now an avid reader of my literary works.
I hadn’t traveled 500 meters when he shattered the silence we were both enjoying as I started the car. Why have you been quiet regarding the AMOTEKUN and AKINLALU COMMUNITY saga? A concerned Aremu enquired. I pretended I didn’t hear him.
He further stressed that he looked everywhere for my report or article on the incident but did not find any. I always look forward to reading your views on security issues like cultism, thuggery, and political violence, among others. Why did you keep quiet? He asked again. “You will read me soon,” I told him. Dear Aremu, I hope you are reading me now.
Akinlalu’s incident is a sad and tragic one. It is also delicate, but discussions surrounding the tragic incident make me worry. Rather than shaming or condemning the security outfit, we should pity it. The regional outfit, AMOTEKUN—a child of necessity—is now a killer of frivolity, option, or choice.
I have read extensively all emotional outbursts over the tragic and fatal incident that claimed four lives in the Akinlalu community. I watched with concern a video of the practical agony of a woman who lost two sons and the ‘killing silence’ of her husband. The woman cried so much that I only saw teary eyes that are incapable of producing tears.
Residents of Akinlalu claimed that AMOTEKUN officials invaded the community, killed four residents, and injured many. Why did AMOTEKUN enter the community? No mourner gave a precise narrative. They only mourned the early departure of direct victims who were very young in age, but they did not tell a story.
The ‘wise’ AMOTEKUN that knew the advantage of the ‘first story’ invaded the social media with a story—we received a distress call from the community. We stormed the location, but we were attacked by a group of youths. We called for reinforcement from our headquarters, and four people died during the open confrontation. They probably did not learn about the dangers of the first story.
Who called AMOTEKUN officials? Why did they call AMOTEKUN officials? Who were the youths that attacked AMOTEKUN officials? Why did they attack them? Did AMOTEKUN officials go back to their base to reinforce and later come back to hunt? Did they call for reinforcement during the crossfire? How did these four people die? Were they shooting at AMOTEKUN officials or wielding cutlasses or throwing stones? The statement did not address any question I raised.
I also listened to narrations from relatives of victims. Nobody spoke about why AMOTEKUN operatives invaded the town. Is it possible for AMOTEKUN operatives to invade a town without reason? Did they just wake up and invade the community? Why did AMOTEKUN operatives storm Akinlalu?
Did some youths commit a particular crime? Did they infringe on someone’s right? Did the person report the incident to AMOTEKUN? When operatives of AMOTEKUN stormed the town, did they meet strong resistance from some youths? Did AMOTEKUN relocate to the base and reinforce to prove capacity or show strength, which led to killings and property damage?
Four people who died in the incident—are they innocent or culprits? Was the killing an act of self-defense or not? If the findings or report of the police investigation about the incident ever come out and are not thrown under the carpet, I hope it cures my curiosity and concerns of the good people of Akinlalu and the state at large.
Aside from the inaccurate narrations from culprits and victims, those who birthed Osun AMOTEKUN—the security outfit—wrongly and nurtured it to a scandalous and ridiculous outfit altogether with the inordinate actions of its present occupiers have seized the conversation for political advantage.
It is concerning that some people have shown a great misunderstanding of the tragic scenario. These individuals have turned a tragic incident into a tea party. They now argue for ignorance. They are more interested in the closure of the outfit than a total overhaul. They don’t want the outfit to exist for political reasons. They desire closure, not because they love the people of Akinlalu. They see it as a means to a political end.
Why should a security outfit be shut permanently over abuse of powers and privileges by some operatives? Instead of demanding the arrest of all AMOTEKUN officials who visited Akinlalu community, investigate and prosecute where necessary and, by extension, call for the total overhaul of the security outfit; they want to bury it. An outfit that has a mandate and provides a job for thousands of people.
Did we shut down the Nigeria Police Force over allegations of killings by some officials? Did we shut down the Nigerian Army over allegations of killings or misuse of power by some officials? If we don’t ban police, army, and other national security outfits over excesses of operatives, why should we extend such a gesture to state security outfits?
The sad irony is a percentage of people from a particular camp I call ‘emergency mourners’ who want AMOTEKUN to be shut permanently over the killings in Akinlalu recently welcomed an alleged sponsor publicly identified by a political thug who reportedly killed tens of people they know and relate with into the same camp without remorse. If you question these mourners, they tell you without remorse or respect for the dead that its politics, a product of a national decision within the camp and for a greater good. Why is the greater good missing in Akinlalu’s scenario?
These lousy mourners seem to love the people of Akinlalu more than their associates. They want AMOTEKUN—an outfit they birthed—to be banned and the head of the outfit to be imprisoned, but they prefer to oil the head of an alleged sponsor and a godfather to a tout who killed their friends. They do not remember the killings nor the photo book of deceased associates they created. They only remember power and greater good.
Governor Adeleke acted slowly and poorly. I think Adeleke prefers to be seen as a nice man rather than a governor. Nice men should sell ice cream; apologies to Kashim Shettima. They should not be ruling a stubborn state like Osun. He did not make any attempt to save the state security outfit at all.
If I were to be in his shoes, I would immediately call for the arrest of AMOTEKUN officials who participated in the incident, direct the commandant to surrender himself to the police for investigation, and ask the most senior operative in the outfit to take over the control and running of the security outfit.
I would form a committee of journalists, public officials, and activists to accomplish four things, the first of which would be to collaborate with the police and provide any assistance that was required. Two is to prepare a full report on the occurrence. Three is to devise a plan to assist victims of the incident who are in the hospital, as well as family of those who died. Four is to devise a strategy for overhauling the security organization and returning it to its original mandate and purpose of creation.
Sadly, AMOTEKUN did not start his ridiculous journey when Akinlalu’s residents died. It started right from its inception. When the Oyetola-led administration appointed Amitolu Shittu as the Commandant of the Security Outfit, I criticized and condemned his nomination on the basis of political affiliation, credibility, and lack of professional experience to lead the outfit. I was abused by Amitolu’s supporters. They thought I never wanted their principal to have a bit from the whole meat. They did not know that I had foreseen danger.
During Amitolu’s tenure as a field commandant, we witnessed pockets of videos and 4D camera photographs rather than security planning. Pictures of operatives wearing tight and fitted uniforms and field commandants sitting inside Hilux vehicles in a relaxed position were more than successes recorded. The security outfit derailed, but Amitolu still went into pockets of forests to arrest illegal miners. An action some allegedly described as stage-managed. He told us about the arrest of illegal miners but never updated us about their prosecution.
Governor Adeleke did not help matters at all. He appointed CSP Omoyele—a retired police officer and former head of a disbanded SARS unit. When Governor Adeleke announced Omoyele as the head of AMOTEKUN, I equally wrote two articles where I criticised the choice of Omoyele and projected the possible collapse of the security outfit. I warned Governor Adeleke that the choice of a retired police officer who was alleged to have committed oppression, intimidation, and assault, among other things, by a panel of the ENDSARS committee is morally wrong and should be reconsidered.
He did not listen to my wise counsel. His aides called me names. He appointed Omoyele against the cries of activists, social actors of change, and stakeholders in the state. During Omoyele’s tenure, AMOTEKUN operatives completely lost focus. They did not enter Osun forests to depollute. They did not gather domestic intelligence. They acted as special escorts to bigwigs in the state. They run after people who collect other people’s wives. They run after debtors. They did not only challenge prosecutorial powers of the police through the Ministry of Justice in the state but also presented themselves as an alternative to the police.
They abandoned the forest and core mandates they were established for. Governor Adeleke played into the hands of his critics and those who want him out of power. He wanted to save people, not the security outfit. The good thing is Governor Adeleke has redirected his steps.
Omoyele, the retired police officer and former head of the disbanded SARS unit, should be removed with immediate effect.All operatives fingered in the Akinlalu incident should be handed over to the police. A new field commandant should be announced for AMOTEKUN.
This time, Governor Adeleke must appoint a retired security official who has a blemish-free record of service and is ready to lead AMOTEKUN into its core mandates for the greater good of the Osun people.
Serving AMOTEKUN and redirecting it to function as expected should be a top priority for Governor Adeleke and his administration.
Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo
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