The security outfit Amotekun established by the combined governments of the South-west states to complement the conventional police is doing well especially with its recent exploit leading to the arrest of a ritual syndicate. BAYO AGBOOLA reports.
The Western Nigeria Security Network otherwise known as Amotekun is certainly the newest government security outfit in town. There is no doubt the security outfit is presently contributing its quota towards enhancing security in and across the South-west region, particularly Oyo state.
On January 9 2021, the six South-west governors jointly launched a security outfit, code-named Amotekun to, among others, defend the region against indiscriminate killings, kidnappings, banditry and destruction of farmlands as well as other security challenges in the zone.
Spelling out terms of reference
In November of same year, Oyo state inaugurated its own chapter of the outfit with Governor Seyi Makinde, at the passing-out parade of the 1,500 pioneer Corps declared that the outfit’s responsibility is to fight against insecurity and combat crimes in collaboration with the police and other federal security agencies.
“As I said during the official launch of this outfit in January 2020, our regional integration through Amotekun should be seen in one light. We are coming together to fight a common enemy. That enemy is not Nigeria; the enemies are the elements among us and their affiliates who are determined to cause commotion within our state borders and threaten our peaceful coexistence. Never again would invaders come into Oyo state without a local response from us. Amotekun is our local response.
“When the story of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun is told, it would be on record that it was officially launched on January 9, 2020. However, the Amotekun journey began earlier. In July 2019, the six states of the South-west, namely Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states, agreed to set up this outfit. Amotekun is, indeed, a first of its kind security agency, because it is a regional security outfit initiated by one of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. History will also state that the headquarters is here in Ibadan, Oyo state.Since its inception, we have been taking steps to ensure that the security outfit commences operations. In March 2020, the Oyo State House of Assembly passed the Oyo State Security Network Agency Bill 2020, which I signed into law a few days later.
“While on the campaign trail, I spoke about how we could tackle insecurity in Oyo state. We outlined clear plans in our manifesto, the Roadmap to Accelerated Development in Oyo State 2019-2023. And so, when we came into office, we went ahead to make security one of the pillars of our administration. We have appointed two qualified men as chairman and Commandant of the Amotekun Corps, the persons of retired General Ajibola Kunle Togun and retired Colonel Olayanju Olayinka. We also have other eminent persons on the board. I am confident that under them, the Amotekun Corps will live up to their objectives.”
Moving into action
Apparently, coming to terms with the motive for its establishment, Amotekun on September 21 broke the den of three notorious suspected ritualist including a 27-year- old herbalist over circumstances surrounding the slaughtering of a 73-year old man for money ritual.
Breaking into their den and successfully fishing out the ritualists has come as one of the impetus justifying the Oyo state government’s commitment on the security outfit in a crime-prone state like Oyo.
To that extent, Amotekun is up and doing at riding the state of security challenges particularly in Ibarapaland and Oke Ogun areas of the state.
Confessional statements
On that fateful, Monday September 20, the ritualists set out for their nefarious act, having no premonition that nemesis was around the corner.
According to one of the suspects, Ismail Muraina, he was reportedly contacted and offered N35, 000 by one Mashud Olarewaju to get him a human being for money rituals. Consequently, he contacted another person called Ifa to get the fresh human head for him.
The herbalist while narrating his alleged involvement in the slaughtering and chopping off of the 73-year-old man’s fingers said, ” I am Olalekan Akande, popularly known as ‘Ogunpo’. I’m 27 years old. I’m a herbalist. I was contacted by this Alfa ( Ismail Muraina) who briefed me that his friend needed a human head.
He told me that they have already contacted one person and also given the person some money, but I was eventually given N15, 000 and I promised to get it for them. I took them to where I normally get it at Bode Herbal Market at Molete but the man couldn’t get us one because we didn’t have enough money, so I decided to get it for them.
He said further that, “We were with N20, 000 as at the time we got to the Babaibeji’s shop at Bode Market but the money was not enough to purchase the kind of head we needed for the job. So, I took the job upon myself to get the head for them because the pressure was too much on me. I picked the man from road side at Amuloko area of Ibadan and I called the two guys that sent me to come and assist in killing him. We slaughtered the man in my room and buried the remaining part of the corpse behind the house. It was my landlady that noticed the place we buried the man and called my attention to it. I revealed everything to her; so, she was the one that called the attention of the landlords association in my area and the case was reported to Amotekun operatives leading to my arrest.
Mashud Olarewaju on sensing that the cat has been let out of the bag disclosed that he was part of those that slaughtered the old man as he was asked to hold the man’s legs while he was being slaughtered.
“I was given the head and I took it home, burnt it into ashes with the intention of using it for money making rituals. Here is the ashes of the burnt head, I want to use it for rituals, I want to use it to better my life.”
However, one of the children of the slaughtered man identified as Mrs Olaosun Olufunke said the suspect who claimed to be Olalekan Akande lied, saying his real name is Muideen Ogunpo, and a member of their family. “It was Muideen that called my Father, Mr Adeniyi Adebisi Samuel on Saturday to come and collect money for his son Sunday and since then we could not reach him through his phone.
“I was called by my brothers that were disturbed because they couldn’t get my dad on phone and before my dad went to Muideen’s house that Saturday, he told me that Muideen asked him to secretly come and collect money for my brother Sunday. Immediately I received information that my father’s whereabouts is unknown, I immediately called Muideen Ogunpo and told him to provide my father but he declined saying he’s out of the town before I was called today that he has been arrested by Amotekun Operatives. My father was hale and healthy; he’s not a lunatic as claimed by Muideen. He was 73 years old. I called him on Saturday to come and collect his soup for weekend and it was then that he briefed me about his going to Muideen’s house, and since then his number has not been reachable,” she said.
Amotekun chief narrates role
3Oyo state Deputy Commandant of Amotekun, Comrade Kazeem Akinro Babalola, explaining how the three-man ritualist were nabbed disclosed that, “A report was made to Amotekun on Monday evening about some suspected ritualists. We started the investigation and arrested the first suspect in his house who later took us to the other suspects.
“The suspects confirmed that they kidnapped a man along Amuloko-Akanran road, slaughtered him and removed his head. The head was then given to one Adbulrasheed Olanrewaju who needed it for rituals. We apprehended the Abdulrasheed but he had already burnt it to ashes. One of the suspects Olalekan Akande Ogunpo confessed that he used charm to kidnap the victim. We are still investigating and once we’re done with our own investigation, we shall hand the case over to the police afterward.”
As the case moves to the state police command, there is need to commend Oyo Amotekun for changing the narrative of insecurity in the state.
