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Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged the Nigeria Police Force to immediately reopen the offices of the Osun State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun.
The governor said reopening the sealed offices in Ile-Ife and Osogbo would strengthen efforts to curb rising cases of banditry and kidnapping across the state.
He also raised concerns about the possible spillover of criminal activities from neighbouring Kwara State into Osun, warning that insecurity could worsen if authorities fail to restore proactive security measures.
Speaking in Osogbo on Thursday through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke cited a recent kidnapping in the Ora-Igbomina area as further evidence of increasing insecurity in border communities.
He said the sealing of Amotekun offices and the continued detention of some of its senior officers without trial had weakened the state’s security response.
According to the governor, Amotekun operatives possess critical local knowledge and experience in policing rural and border areas, capabilities currently missing due to the suspension of the outfit’s operations.
Adeleke noted that the closure had created security gaps now exploited by bandits and other criminal elements in vulnerable communities.
He appealed directly to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure that detained Amotekun officers are promptly charged in court and that the agency is allowed to resume its duties.
The governor warned that any further delay could expose rural residents to greater danger and leave the state vulnerable to deeper criminal infiltration.
“I have brought this matter to the public because of another kidnapping in Ora-Igbomina. Shutting down Amotekun puts Osun residents at serious risk,” he said.
“Those officers in detention should be charged in court after several months of incarceration. Any further delay in reopening Amotekun will further endanger the safety and security of our people.”
The Nigeria Police sealed the Amotekun offices in Ile-Ife and Osogbo following the Akinlalu killings on September 30, 2025.
Authorities alleged that rogue Amotekun personnel carried out the killings in Akinlalu while attempting to recover arms reportedly seized by suspected thugs.
The Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Isaac Omoyele, and several operatives arrested during the raid remain in police custody in Abuja.
In January, the wives of the detained personnel staged protests, calling on the government and relevant authorities to release their husbands, whom they described as innocent of the allegations.
