Human rights lawyer cries out as Police arrest, detain Amotekun leaders

An Ibadan-based human rights lawyer, Femi Aborisade, yesterday, petitioned Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, over the arrest and continued detention of two leaders of the Oyo State Security Network code-named Amotekun in Iwajowa Local Council of the state.

The petitioner is the counsel to the Itile Community Development Association, Itasa, Iwajowa Local Council, on whose behalf and instruction the petition was written.

The petitioner decried the arrest and detention of Mr. Idowu Afo, Amotekun Coordinator and Mr. Ibikunle Ayoola, Amotekun Operations Commander in Iwajowa Local Council at Iyaganku Police Station in connection with the farmers-herders conflict, which occurred on March 3, 2021.

He said: “The Serikin Fulani in Gbedu, Bande Chumo, cooperated with the Amotekun operatives in persuading Alhaji Audu Yellow to accompany the Amotekun operatives to their office in Ilaji Ile for discussions overcompensation in accordance with the existing terms of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the host Itasa community and Fulani herder settlers.

“When Alhaji Audu Yellow was being taken to the Amotekun vehicle, with a view to conveying him to Ilaji Ile for discussions, a group of Alhaji Audu Yellow’s friends, brought out dangerous weapons, including guns and cutlasses and attacked the Amotekun operatives. Those who wielded dangerous weapons and attacked Amotekun operatives included Alhaji Chumo and Mogaji Umoru.”

Aborisade revealed that the other two Amotekun operatives were seriously injured and rushed to hospital. According to him, Afo and Ayoola are being detained on allegation of having killed some herders, an allegation that had been denying, as no incident of the killing took place during the conflict, apart from the injuries sustained by some Amotekun officers, who were rushed to a hospital in Iwere-ile. He stated that the duo is law-abiding citizens, who would never take laws into their hands.

The activist appealed to the Police Commissioner not to give the impression of encouraging brazen criminality from anybody or group of persons under whatever guise or on account of political, social, economic and or financial compromises. (The Guardian)