Ex-Amotekun Boss Alleges Criminal Infiltration in Osun Security Outfit

The pioneer Director-General of the Osun Amotekun Corps, Mr. Amitolu Shittu, has raised alarm over what he described as the infiltration of criminal elements into the state’s security network through compromised recruitment processes.

Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Saturday, Shittu accused the current Corps Commander, Mr. Isaac Adekunle Omoyele, of recruiting cultists, ex-convicts, and drug users into the security outfit, alleging that the development has eroded public confidence in its operations.

“The current State Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Isaac Omoyele, recruited all manner of criminals into the corps. Cultists, ritualists, ex-convicts, hard drug users and dealers were taken into the group and handed arms. They must be subjected to fresh profiling by security agencies,” Shittu claimed.

According to him, the alleged recruits have become a threat to residents across the state, citing the recent killings in Akinlalu, Ife North Local Government Area, as an example of the growing menace.

He accused the commander of personalising the agency and diverting operatives to illegal assignments outside the scope of Amotekun’s legal mandate.

“Those recruits are now terrorising the state. Were they screened by the police and DSS? Do we have their records? The killings in Akinlalu are just one of the several crimes those in Amotekun are now committing. Amotekun operatives are not engaged as guards. Very terrible,” he said.

The former DG called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to order a comprehensive profiling of all operatives recruited under the current administration and to ensure that those found culpable face prosecution.

“He should be made to face the law, while all the criminal elements within the agency, especially those involved in the Akinlalu incident, should be arrested and prosecuted,” Shittu insisted.

Reacting to the allegations, the Corps Commander, Mr. Omoyele, through the Corps’ spokesperson, Mr. Idowu Yusuf, denied the claims, describing them as politically motivated and unfounded.

“Calls for my sack appear to be driven by political sentiment, personal grievances, or attempts to destabilise the reputation and ongoing operations of the Corps,” Omoyele said.

He maintained that his appointment followed due process and that the recruitment procedures of the Corps remain transparent and rigorous.

“Our recruitment process is transparent and thorough. Applicants undergo physical screening, credential verification, and medical evaluation. They also present credible guarantors such as royal fathers, pastors, imams, or senior civil servants not below Grade Level 12,” he explained.

Omoyele reaffirmed that the Corps operates strictly within the rule of law under the directive of Governor Adeleke’s administration and pledged continued professionalism in its operations.

The controversy comes amid tension in the state following the killing of three residents in Akinlalu by suspected Amotekun operatives, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.