Osun Amotekun records milestone in one year of strategic leadership

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

It was a quiet morning at Gbonga, Osun State, on May 13, 2025, when a criminal gang attempted to hijack a trailer loaded with iron rods valued at over ₦50 million. What the criminals didn’t anticipate was the swift response of the Osun Amotekun Corps, whose timely intervention foiled the attack and saved both the goods and the life of the trailer driver and his boy.

This rescue was just one of the several achievements of the Osun Amotekun Corps within its first year of strategic leadership under AIG Wale Abbas (Rtd), Board Chairman, and Chief Dr Hon. Adekunle Isaac Omoyele, Corps Commander.

Since their appointments, the Corps has transformed into a more visible and reliable grassroots security force, expanding its manpower from 300 officers, a makeshift headquarters and inadequate welfare to over 1,450 officers, a befitting operational headquarters and improved officer welfare now comparable to that of civil servants in the state.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, the Corps has arrested no fewer than 97 suspects for various offences, including armed robbery, rituals, rape, burglary, vehicle snatching, fraud, fake currency, defilement and impersonation. Notably, over 80 per cent of these cases resulted in successful prosecutions.

Among the key successes of the Corps are the arrest of a criminal syndicate behind a N4.5 million steel theft, the recovery of a stolen vehicle and electronics in Ode-Omu, the apprehension of Emmanuel Ivarim, who was later sentenced to one year in prison for stealing a motorcycle and mobile phone valued at N1.25 million, and the arrest and subsequent conviction of a 25-year-old man sentenced to three years imprisonment for attempted rape.

The Corps has also enhanced its community engagement and inter-agency collaborations, working closely with the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and local security groups to improve intelligence sharing and joint responses to security threats.

Speaking at the one-year anniversary, AIG Abbas noted that the achievements recorded within this period were not products of chance but of deliberate planning, teamwork, and an uncompromising focus on operational excellence.

The Amotekun board chairman, who stated that security must be community-based, intelligence-led and people-centred, urged residents to see the Corps as partners, not enforcers, and as guardians, not adversaries.

Giving kudos to the administration of Ademola Adeleke, the corps commander said that the improvements in staffing, facilities, welfare, and equipment have all been possible because of the state government’s commitment and support.

Omoyele said during the year under review, the Corps has reviewed the old operation and improved its prosecution process, leading to more successful convictions compared to the past.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, who commissioned the Corps’ renovated headquarters and officers’ lodge, applauded the leadership’s focus on both security operations and the welfare of its personnel.

Adeleke, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bobagunwa Teslim Igbalaye, said his administration is overhauling the Osun Amotekun Corps, taking into cognisance that security is the bedrock of growth and that Osun people deserve to live, move and work in safety.

The governor appealed to the people to continue to support the local security architecture by staying vigilant, cooperating with operatives and promoting peace in homes and communities.

Earlier, the field commander, Soji Akanni, in his address, emphasised the need for continued vigilance and innovation.

“The security landscape is fluid, and new challenges emerge daily. Our mandate to secure Osun State is ongoing, and it demands increased vigilance, continuous training and capacity building, intelligence-led operations, and greater collaboration with the people we serve,” Akanni stated.