On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Akinlalu, a peaceful town in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, was thrown into mourning when operatives of Amotekun, South West’s regional security outfit, invaded and killed three family members and one other in the community and carted away their corpses.
At least, 11 inhabitants of this hitherto quiet town reportedly sustained injuries from sporadic shots by the masked trigger-happy Amotekun operatives. One of them died two days later.
High Chief Kamorudeen Oyebamiji, Aro of Akinlalu, lost three children in the dastardly attack: two children of his younger and one of his elder wives respectively.
A distraught Chief Oyebamiji recollected: “The hooded Amotekun corps killed my three children in a single day.
“Two of them were shot while the other was hacked to death when he was trying to escape from the scene. They must bring those corpses.”
Another bereaved man, Nurudeen Adeagbo, said: “They killed one of my sons here. My daughter, who is a nursing mother was shot on her thigh, while my son who is a graduate had his hand broken with an axe.
“I was equally assaulted by the officials with a gun butt. They came to the town wearing masks.”
In the past two weeks, a palpable combination of fear, grief and deafening silence has pervaded the ancient town.
Although there have been conflicting reports from both sides over what led to the unfortunate incident, what was not in doubt was the dangerous foretaste of what a state or local police can do to unarmed citizens.
A statement from the security outfit’s headquarters in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, said the operatives were dispatched from the its office in Ile-Ife following an emergency call from Akinlalu residents, who reported a group of suspected bandits invading farmlands in the area.
It read in part: “Four Amotekun operatives mobilized on motorcycles to address the situation and ensure the safety of the local population. Tragically, while en route to Akinlalu, the team was ambushed by armed assailants, suspected to be the same group terrorizing the community. During the sudden attack, two service rifles belonging to the Amotekun Corps were forcibly taken by the assailants.
“Upon receiving news of the ambush, reinforcement operatives were deployed and approached Akinlalu with the intention of engaging peacefully, including paying a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of the town. However, at the T-junction leading into Akinlalu, the road was found barricaded by the assailants, who immediately opened fire on the operatives, triggering a fierce gun battle that lasted for over an hour.
“Despite the intensity of the attack, the Amotekun operatives successfully overpowered the assailants. In the aftermath of the encounter, three lives were confirmed lost, including individuals believed to be among the attackers. Three were arrested while several others sustained injuries and fled the scene.
“In a subsequent operation, the corps recovered two firearms stolen during the ambush, along with force uniforms and berets allegedly used by the hoodlums for impersonation. These items were discovered in a hideout believed to be connected to the attackers.”
Adekunle Isaac Omoyele, Commander of the Osun Amotekun Corps, condemned the attack in the strongest terms, affirming the agency’s resolve to continue protecting lives, property, and the sovereignty of Osun communities.
“This cowardly ambush will not deter our operatives from carrying out their duties. The safety and security of our people remain our utmost priority. We will intensify our efforts to root out criminal elements threatening peace in our communities,” he said.
The Akinlalu tragedy could have been averted if the Amotekun operatives had listened to wise counsel from Akinlalu leaders especially His Royal Highness, Oba Oluwabusola Oloyede, the Alakinlalu of Akinlalu, and the town’s Youth Leader, Musbau Adeboye.
For instance, Adeboye said when the Ife North Commander of Amotekun informed him that a thief escaped from his boys and snatched away their gun on Monday, September 29, 2025, he promised to work on how to arrest him.
But the Amotekun operatives never waited for his assistance. “Minutes later, they struck, maimed and killed people of our community. I was surprised. This is barbaric. Many were in a pool of blood when I entered the town. They first left after the attack but returned a few minutes later to carry the corpses and others who sustained gunshot wounds to Osogbo,” the Youth Leader recalled.
The Alakinlalu of Akinlalu explained that when a delegation went to Osogbo over the incident, the State’s Amotekun boss who ordered the invasion, said he had instructed his boys to first visit the palace to discuss the issues before proceeding with their mission.
“However, they never came to the palace but rather attacked innocent residents at the market square,” the traditional ruler said.
We join Oba Oluwabusola Oloyede and his townsmen and women to demand justice for the slain citizens, who as he insisted were not bandits or hoodlums.
It is noteworthy that Governor Ademola Adeleke has dispatched a top level government delegation to Akinlalu over the killings and launched full investigation into the matter.
“I am a rule of law Governor. This matter is being investigated and any infraction will be dealt with within the context of the law. I have ordered a security council meeting on this incident.
“I sent my condolences to the victims of this unfortunate incident. I urge the good people of Akinlalu to keep calm as our government acts on the matter. I feel their pains but investigations are ongoing,” the governor said.
As the people of Akinlalu wait for justice, we note that indiscriminate killings by state or regional security outfits is a dangerous foretaste of the clamour for state police.
While such state security organisations have recorded successes in taming crime and criminality in their domains, their overzealousness in many instances overshadow their achievements. And this is a worrisome trend that must not continue.
“The Akinlalu tragedy could have been averted if the Amotekun operatives had listened to wise counsel from Akinlalu leaders especially His Royal Highness, Oba Oluwabusola Oloyede, the Alakinlalu of Akinlalu, and the town’s Youth Leader, Musbau Adeboye”