Police Arrest Over 20 Amotekun Officials, Seal Bases Following Osun Community Killings

A major crisis has erupted in Osun State as the Nigeria Police Command confirmed the arrest of numerous operatives of the Amotekun Corps and the sealing of the security outfit’s operational bases in Osogbo and Ile-Ife. This dramatic escalation is a direct response to the alleged extrajudicial killing of four indigenes, including three siblings, in the Akinlalu community of Ife North Local Government Area last week.

Reports indicate that as many as twenty-five operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun) were apprehended when Police personnel stormed the Oke-Fia operational base in Osogbo. Separately, about five more operatives were detained in the Ife area, where the tragic killings occurred.

The arrests follow widespread outrage and demands for justice from the Akinlalu community, who allege that the victims were killed by Amotekun operatives during an operation.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the ongoing investigation, stating that five suspects have been officially arrested so far in connection with the incident. He also noted that efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the Corps who remain at large.

In a move underscoring the severity of the situation, the Inspector-General of Police has directed the Force Intelligence Department’s elite investigative team, the IRT-FID, to take over the case. This guarantees a high-level and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder and the operational conduct of the security outfit. The PPRO also disclosed that the State Commandant of Amotekun, Adekunle Omoyele, has yet to honour Police invitations for questioning regarding the case.

The forceful arrest of personnel and the sealing of bases represent a severe dent to the Amotekun Corps, a state-backed regional security initiative designed to bolster community safety, and reignite national conversations about accountability and the use of force by state-level security bodies.