Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to lift the suspension placed on the Amotekun Corps, warning that the continued shutdown could expose the state to escalating banditry and kidnapping.
In a statement issued on Friday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the sealing of Amotekun offices and the detention of its senior officers had severely weakened Osun’s security architecture, particularly in rural border communities prone to criminal infiltration.
According to Adeleke, the absence of the regional security outfit has left the state “crippled in its security response,” creating dangerous gaps in grassroots surveillance and intelligence.
“Closing down Amotekun exposes the Osun people to serious risks. I call on the Inspector-General of Police to unseal Amotekun and allow its operatives to secure my people across the grassroots,” the governor said.
He pointed to a recent kidnapping incident in Ora-Igbomina as a stark reminder of the growing security threat, stressing that Amotekun operatives possess specialised knowledge and experience in addressing rural and forest-based crimes.
Adeleke also demanded clarity on the fate of detained Amotekun officers, including the state commander, Adekunle Omoyele, who were arrested in connection with alleged killings in Akinlalu community. He insisted that the operatives should either be promptly charged to court or released after spending several months in detention.
“Those officers in detention should be charged in court after several months of incarceration. Any further delay in the reinstatement of Amotekun operations will jeopardise the safety and security of our people,” he added.
Amotekun has remained absent from Osun’s security framework since September 30, 2025, following an alleged invasion of Akinlalu community by its operatives, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of three residents. After the incident, several corps members were arrested and transferred to Abuja.
The governor warned that without the reinstatement of Amotekun, rural communities across the state could become increasingly vulnerable to criminal activities. He urged the police authorities to act swiftly in restoring the outfit’s operations in the interest of public safety.
