Osogbo, Osun State — Police operatives from Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Monday raided two bases of the Osun Amotekun Corps in connection with weekend shootings in Akinlalu, Ife-North LGA, that left four people dead, including two siblings.
The coordinated operation targeted the Amotekun command in Ile-Ife and the operational base in Oke-Fia, Osogbo. Spokesperson for Osun Amotekun, Yusuf Idowu, confirmed the raids, saying 20 operatives were arrested in Osogbo and four in Ile-Ife. “I think the arrest was in connection with the incident at Akinlalu,” he said, adding that police teams remained at the Oke-Fia base as at press time.
Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, earlier announced an investigation into the Akinlalu killings, pledging that “anyone found wanting” would face justice.
In an update, state police spokesperson DSP Abiodun Ojelabi said preliminary findings identified the attackers as Amotekun personnel. “Individuals were mentioned to have masterminded the attack, whom victims and witnesses said they can identify if seen,” Ojelabi noted. He disclosed that five suspects had already been arrested in the case, with efforts ongoing to track others.
Ojelabi also said the Amotekun Corps Commander, Adekunle Omoyele, was invited to clarify his role but “has refused to honour the invitation,” alleging his phone remained switched off. He criticized a subsequent social-media claim by Omoyele that he was attacked by masked gunmen, calling it “a figment of his own imagination aimed at concealing the truth and derailing the course of justice.”
The police said Osun remains calm and that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has directed the Intelligence Response Team/Force Intelligence Department (IRT-FID) to take over the investigation.
The Akinlalu incident has heightened scrutiny of Amotekun, the South-West regional security network created to support conventional law enforcement against banditry and kidnapping. While the corps operates under state laws, it is expected to liaise with the Nigeria Police Force on arrests and prosecutions. Rights groups have repeatedly urged tighter oversight of all non-federal security outfits to prevent abuse and jurisdictional clashes.
Attempts to reach Commander Omoyele for comment were unsuccessful as of publication. The Amotekun Corps has not issued a formal statement beyond confirming the arrests and the ongoing police presence at its facilities.
Families of the victims in Akinlalu are calling for a transparent probe and swift prosecution. Community leaders have appealed for calm, urging residents to cooperate with investigators.
The police have asked anyone with credible information, including eyewitnesses from Akinlalu, to come forward to assist the IRT-FID team as it pieces together the sequence of events and the chain of command behind the shootings.
