The death toll from Tuesday’s reported shootings in Akinlalu, Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, has risen to four, following the death of another critically injured victim in the early hours of Saturday.
Residents had alleged that Amotekun operatives stormed the community on Tuesday, shooting sporadically at the town’s centre, which led to the death of three people and left eight others severely injured. However, Amotekun insisted it was caught in a 30-minute gun battle with the victims.
Speaking for the community, Mr. Babarinde Olamide accused the operatives of invading the peaceful town on the pretext that a suspect had seized one of their locally made weapons. According to him, the operatives arrived in three vehicles and began firing at residents, while others who fled were attacked with cutlasses.
“In the process, three persons were killed instantly while several others sustained serious injuries. Shockingly, the operatives carried away the corpses and those who were critically injured. Sadly, we later learnt that one of the injured victims died after surgery at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, Governor Ademola Adeleke ordered a full-scale investigation and dispatched a government delegation to the community. In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke described himself as a “rule of law Governor,” assuring that any infraction would be dealt with legally.
“I sympathize with the families of the victims and urge the people of Akinlalu to remain calm while investigations are ongoing. I feel their pains and have called for a security council meeting on this matter, alongside fears of spillover from recent Kwara banditry attacks,” the governor said.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state condemned the killings, accusing Amotekun of extra-judicial actions. In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party warned against turning the security outfit into a tool of intimidation as elections approach.
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