A grieving stepmother, Mrs. Fausat Oyebamiji, has narrated how operatives of the Osun State Amotekun Corps allegedly shot dead her two stepsons during last Tuesday’s violent confrontation in Akinlalu, Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.
The incident, which threw the quiet community into mourning, claimed three lives and left eight others injured, mostly women and youths. The victims were identified as Ibrahim Oyebamiji (26), Sefiu Oyebamiji, and Abiola Olutayo.
Speaking tearfully when members of the Osun State House of Assembly visited the bereaved families on Sunday, Mrs. Oyebamiji said her stepsons — Ibrahim and Ismaila — were gunned down in cold blood.
“Ibrahim was humble and hardworking. He had just returned from the farm after giving his mother ₦2,500 for food. When his brother Ismaila heard he was shot, he rushed out and was also hit by bullets. They shot him again even where he tried to hide. Imagine a father losing two children in one day! We don’t want Amotekun in this community again — they are worse than the police,” she lamented.
Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Akinyode Oyewusi, who led a delegation of lawmakers to the community, assured residents that the government would ensure justice and restore peace.
“We are here to commiserate with the families and the people of Akinlalu. The state government and the police have already commenced investigations. I assure you that justice will be served,” Oyewusi said.
The Akinlalu Youth Leader, Musibau Adeboye, appreciated the lawmakers for their visit but urged the government to ensure the operatives responsible face prosecution.
“Our people have agreed to remain calm and allow for proper investigation, but we demand that those behind this barbaric act be brought to justice. The absence of a police post worsened the situation. If we had one here, the bloodshed might have been avoided,” he added.
In a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Idowu Yusuf, the Osun Amotekun Corps confirmed that three people were killed but claimed its men acted in self-defence after being ambushed by hoodlums while attempting to recover two seized rifles.
“Our operatives were ambushed while trying to retrieve two rifles forcibly taken from them during an earlier confrontation. In the exchange of gunfire that followed, three of the attackers were neutralised,” the statement read.
However, Adeboye dismissed the corps’ claim, insisting the killings were unprovoked.
“They came heavily armed and started shooting indiscriminately. When I arrived, the whole community looked like a slaughter slab,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Osogbo Branch, condemned the killings and demanded an independent probe.
“The attack is barbaric, inhuman, and a gross violation of fundamental rights. The Bar will closely monitor the investigation to ensure justice is served,” said the branch chairman, Maruf Adediran.
Two civil society organisations — Nigeria for Good Governance and Dialogue 365 — also held the government responsible for what they described as the “decline in professionalism” within the Amotekun Corps.
“The killings in Akinlalu are a warning sign. Amotekun has derailed from its core duties and become aggressors instead of protectors,” said Wole Oladapo, convener of Nigeria for Good Governance.
