DPO Shoots ‘Unruly and Riotous’ Amotekun For Arresting Fulani Herdsmen

There was shock among members of the Oyo State Security Network Agency popularly known as Amotekun when the Divisional Police Officer at Orile Igbon Police Station in the Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State, Ayodeji Adepoju, allegedly opened fire on some Amotekun operatives and injured one of them.

The incident, it was gathered, happened on Friday.

Sources told our correspondent that some herdsmen had destroyed cassava farm of a farmer in the Gambari area and the farmer reported the incident to Amotekun who moved to arrest the herders.

But after arresting the herdsmen, some policemen were said to have come and stopped the Amotekun from taking the herders away. They reportedly arrested the Amotekun operatives and took them into police custody.

They were said to have been detained from Thursday and on Friday , the Unit Commander of Amotekun in the area, Sikirulahi Araoye, and some of his men went to the police station to secure the release of the arrested operatives, Olu Jenyo and Mayowa Olatunji.

While at the police station, the policemen on duty were said not to be ready to release the Amotekun men and the unit commander reportedly insisted on seeing the DPO.

It was learnt that as they were talking, the DPO stormed out of his office and snatched a gun from one of his men and fired at the Amotekun operatives. The commander was lucky, but one of his men was hit by the bullet.

The bullet was said to have fractured the leg of the victim and was taken to the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

The Commandant of Amotekun in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), confirmed the incident

The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, also confirmed the arrest in a statement but was silent on the shooting.
The PPRO said, “It was a report from the Secretary of Miyetti Allah, one, Oroji Allah ‘m’ at Orile Igbon Police Station  that some Amotekun operatives planned to set ablaze Fulani ‘Igaa’. A team of policemen was sent to the scene and brought them to the station for amicable settlement by the DPO. 

“Not too long, Amotekun corps numbering about 30 invaded the station and conducted themselves in an unruly and riotous manner. Three of them were arrested. The Area Commander Ogbomoso is handling the matter.”