Amotekun officers open fire in Oyo, two killed, scores injured

By RAJI ADEBAYO, Ibadan

The newly inaugurated southwest security outfit codenamed Amotekun has been alleged of killing no fewer than two while one sustained gun shot injury, the residents of Asaka area of Ibadan, the Oyo state.

The incident happened at Akala road, Asaka leading to Born photo area of Ibadan on Thursday.

Eyewitness told Sunday Independent that one Afeez Lotto and Akin Owoaga were allegedly shot dead by a member of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) who has been recruited into Amotekun, Sikiru Apanpa.

It was gathered that the incident started when youths in the area were having disagreement over a certain issues and Saheed Lotto invited the Amotekun personnel to control the situation.

It was gathered that when Amotekun personnel arrived the scene with their vehicle, Sikiru Apanpa did not sort for the cause of the disagreement than to open fire on the people killing two persons.

It was gathered that the two victims died instantly.

One of the elders in the area, Alhaji Oladipupo Awodele disclosed that while leaving the spot of the incident, the same Sikiru Apanpa allegedly shot at an elderly man, Matthew Owolabi, at Ike Olu junction who later reported at Mapo and Babaganku Police stations after removing the bullet.

Awodele maintained that it was usual manner of Sikiru Apanpa firing at residence whenever there was crisis in the area before recruited him into Amotekun.

He said following the development, the men of the Nigeria police force, Mapo command, Ibadan arrested Saheed Lotto who invited Amotekun to produce the alleged killer, Sikiru Apanpa, of the two victims.

But reacting to the allegation through a statement, the Amotekun Commandant in the state, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd), denied that its operative fired the gunshot.

Olayanju said there was a crisis around Born Photo/ Isale Osi area, where the OPC faction of late Dr Frederick Fasehun was trying to deal with some hoodlums.

He said Amotekun was invited and its operatives went there while returning from an operation where a Lebanese man was rescued from his abductors on December 15.

“By the time we got there, we saw that the OPC members and the hoodlums were already exchanging gunfire, but our operatives and Operation Burst were able to bring the situation under control. We arrested some suspects and handed them over to Operation Burst.

“After that had been settled, the hoodlums later gathered and attacked an OPC member, who is also a member of Amotekun in the area.

“In the earlier incident, while the exchange of gunshots was going on, one of the hoodlums had been hit; he, however, didn’t die at the spot. We learnt he later died at home.

“So the hoodlums regrouped and went to attack the OPC member, who is also an Amotekun operative in the area.

“He then called his OPC colleagues who came to his rescue. So there was no time Amotekun shot at anybody. We only met the hoodlums and OPC members exchanging gunfire when we got to the scene after we were invited and we brought about normalcy.

“It is so unfortunate that some media organisations published that an Amotekun operative shot and killed some people,” Olayanju said.

He added that investigation was already ongoing to arrest the hoodlums.

Also speaking on the incident, the media consultant to Amotekun, Yemi Ogunseye, said: “It must be noted that the incident did not happen when the Amotekun operative was on official duty, so it would be unfair to say that Amotekun shot someone.

“We only responded to a distress call by members of the community when the hoodlums and OPC members were exchanging gunshots.” (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Saturday Independent)