Amotekun killed ten people in 19 days;
Hold me responsible for actions of Amotekun corps – Seyi Makinde;
Amotekun must not become another SARS – Wole Soyinka;
At the seat of this challenge is a weak criminal justice system – Expert.
At an average of one death every other day, Amotekun death toll of ten Nigerians raises questions on their operationalism. Dataphyte’s analysis shows how the Oyo State Security Network Agency killed ten Oyo indigenes in less than three weeks in the name of security.
Established on 9 January 2020 by the six-state governors of all the South Western states of Nigeria to curb insecurity and kidnapping in the region, Amotekun received wider acceptability. After all, it came when the public had lost hope in the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force. Both Afenifere, Yoruba socio-cultural group and Ohanaeze Ndigbo lauded the initiative.
Contrary to expectation, reports of extrajudicial killings have trailed the group’s operations. Dataphyte aggregates at least ten instances to that effect, from December 24, 2020, till January 11, 2021.
Breakdown of Amotekun’s operations
First was the demise of 400-level student Akolade Gbadebo on December 24th 2020. A death which was shrouded in controversy. From PUNCH’s report, the security outfit merely returned fire. But for Habeeb Gbadebo, brother of the deceased, it did not add up.
“If my brother shot at them, how come the bullet hit him in the back? It is a mystery. They later said he was not the one that shot at them, but it was another person. One thing I know is that Amotekun operatives are trying to twist the story and cover it, but we won’t allow that to happen.”
In the same vein, a Humangle report revealed an eyewitness who refuted the claim that the deceased and others mounted roadblock on the express road.
“The claim that Kola and some other guys mounted a barricade on the road and were the one shooting is not true. I swear to God, it is false; but since they are the government we can’t do anything. The reason why a lot of people are not coming out to talk is that Amotekun officers are searching for those present at the scene that day,” he said.
Olayinka Olayanju, a retired Colonel and Commandant of the security network later admitted Akolade Gbadebo was shot by mistake after being confronted by the family.
Two dead, five injured after Amotekun clashed with youths.
Next on the list are the deaths of two youths in Tapa community, Ibarapa North local government of Oyo State. On January 6, Amotekun corps turned a carnival engagement violent following a disagreement with those present. The altercation left not just two dead, but five injured.
Amotekun, Fulani herdsmen clash, seven lives lost.
Last, Amotekun’s clash with herdsmen in Ibarapa North on January 9 left seven fatalities, contrary to the security outfit’s claims of three lives lost. Allegedly, Amotekun’s operations in Okebi village, Aiyete area was in response to accounts of incessant killings and kidnapping in the area. However, Dataphyte also received intelligence of injuries to bystanders amid the clash.
Hold me responsible for actions of Amotekun corps- Seyi Makinde.
Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde says to the over 8 million Oyo indigenes ‘hold me responsible for the actions of the Amotekun corps.”
Engineer Makinde made the statement during the inauguration of the security outfit. A comment which is now in question because their operationalism is not as flawless as the Governor alluded.
He also instructed the 1500 members of the corps not to harass or intimidate the people his government charged them to protect. But to order and sanction are two flip sides of the coin. And given all the reports of defaulting Amotekun officials in recent months, why has the state not sanctioned any member?
Amotekun must not become another SARS – Wole Soyinka.
For Wole Soyinka, Amotekun’s operations pose a bad omen for the state.
On Saturday, the Nobel Laureate submitted that the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, should be trained frequently to prevent them from turning into another special anti-robbery squad (SARS).
Soyinka disclosed this when he featured on the Arise Television programme this morning.
“Community policing like Amotekun is a recognition of the fact that the civic part of the entire national polity has got to wake up in not just its defense but survival. I have told them anytime you want us to come and assist, we will come even if it is just on the ethical session. So that as you are training them to defend us, we are also training their minds. So that Amotekun does not become another SARS- very important. We must do everything together.”
Wole Soyinka | Nigerian Playwright
Likewise, Morris Monye, a Nigerian netizen through his Twitter handle while commenting on the recent mischievous acts of Amotekun, feared the corps outclassing the disbanded Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS).
Debo Adebayo ( DeboMacaroni), famous Nigeria skit maker and film actor, in a tweet also condemned killings by the Amotekun corps and charged Oyo state governor to take actions and check their excesses.
Expert decries a weak criminal justice system, calls for efficient technical manpower.
At the seat of this challenge is a weak criminal justice system, Kemi Okenyodo- Executive Director, Partners West Africa Nigeria- bemoans. She prefaced that unless the nation addresses this root cause, effects such as the extrajudicial killings will continue to thrive.
“Extrajudicial killings continue to thrive because of the inability of the criminal justice system to conduct investigations appropriately.”
Kemi Okenyodo, Executive Director, Partners West Africa Nigeria
Kemi further beckoned state actors to confront the gaps in the infrastructure and technical workforce of the Amotekun corps.
“It (extrajudicial killings) is also condoned based on the zeal to show performance….. Amotekun cannot operate outside existing structures. The government needs to address the systematic gaps in infrastructure and technical human resources.”
Kemi Okenyodo, Executive Director, Partners West Africa Nigeria