Osun Amotekun denies partisanship, death claims amid recruitment protest

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Osun Amotekun Corps has denied allegations of partisanship in its recent recruitment exercise, dismissing claims that the selection process favored a particular political party as baseless and misleading.

The controversy arose when some recruited individuals staged a protest outside the NYSC orientation camp in Ede, alleging that they had been replaced by members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The protesters, including a nursing mother, claimed in a widely circulated video that they had been shortlisted and had been in camp since Sunday, only to be removed and replaced by alleged PDP members who did not undergo the same recruitment process.

The video further alleged that three individuals had died, while another fainted and one more was hospitalized due to a stroke.

Addressing journalists on Friday, the Board Chairman of Osun Amotekun Corps, AIG Wale Abass (Rtd), clarified that 1,000 cadets were invited to the camp after undergoing a thorough selection process. This process included an online application review, verification of academic credentials, and a health assessment, with some candidates being disqualified due to health concerns or failure to meet the required standards.

Abass revealed that some unselected individuals had managed to gain access to the camp but were later sent home. He also confirmed that candidates identified with health issues during the training were disqualified for their safety.

He addressed concerns about a woman who arrived at the camp with a breastfeeding infant, stating that paramilitary training policies do not permit individuals with health conditions or childcare responsibilities to remain in camp.

Dismissing the allegations, Abass said, “The video in question is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and undermine the work we do. It is untrue that three people died in camp. Those who were unconscious during training are now recovering. Unfortunately, some individuals are exploiting the situation for political gain.”