Sowore leads protest in Akure, demands justice for corps personnel
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, on Thursday, led a protest in Akure, the Ondo State capital, demanding justice for suspended officers of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps.
The three officers: Abu Taiwo, Akinsipe Victor, and Ekunjumi Julius, were reportedly suspended by the agency over alleged breach of oaths of allegiance and secrecy.
Adetunji Adeleye, the commander of the Corps, who announced their indefinite suspension on Monday in Akure while parading four suspected criminals, however, said the three officers had also been declared wanted for proper investigations.
There have been publications on social media indicating that the trio was involved in unprofessional conduct by making comments on social media, allegedly disparaging the agency.
They were reported to have agitated for their permanent employment through appointment letters. They were also accused of being involved in crimes such as gun running, theft, and threat to the lives of residents.
“Every organisation has its own rules, and the Ondo State Security Network Agency is not an exception. The law setting up the Corps specifically says the Corps should give out identity cards and warrant cards for operatives who are full staff of the government as an agency,” Mr Adeleye said.
“You will observe that at the time when there are pressing need for the Corps to come together and continue to work assiduously to ensure that the security of the state is not compromised is when our intelligence showed that the three Abu Taiwo, Akinsipe Victor, Ekunjumi Julius have been sponsored not only to undermine and disparage the management of the Corps but totally to distract the attention of the Corps from its core mandate of the provision of security to lives and property.”
However, the peaceful protest, which drew hundreds of concerned residents, youth groups, and civil society activists, began at the Cathedral junction and moved through major streets of Akure amid chants for justice and reform within the state’s security architecture.
Participants carried placards with inscriptions such as “Justice for the Amotekun 3,” “Stop Victimisation,” “Truth Will Prevail,” among others.
Addressing the crowd, Mr Sowore condemned what he described as a dangerous trend of abuse of power within the Amotekun Corps, warning that such conduct could undermine the credibility of the ongoing agitation for state policing in Nigeria.
“Those we are hoping would transform into the state police have already begun to abuse power,” he said. “If we fail to hold them accountable now, we will be breeding another layer of oppression in the name of community security.”
Mr Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters newspaper, also accused the leadership of the Corps of administrative impunity and injustice, insisting that the three suspended officers had become “victims of a power tussle rather than any proven wrongdoing.”
The activist called on the Ondo State Government and the Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, to immediately lift the suspension of the affected officers, withdraw the “wanted” declaration issued against them, and issue proper appointment letters to all Amotekun personnel across the state.
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Mr Sowore, an indigene of Ondo State, further demanded improved welfare for Amotekun operatives, proposing a N250,000 monthly salary benchmark to reflect the high-risk nature of their work and their pivotal role in community safety.
“These men risk their lives daily to protect their communities. They deserve better treatment, better pay, and above all, justice,” he added.
Mr Sowore noted that the struggle transcended the case of the three suspended operatives, describing it as a fight for transparency, fairness, and institutional integrity in Ondo State’s security system.
“Justice must prevail. This is not just about the Amotekun three—it is about building a system where no one is victimised for speaking the truth or demanding accountability,” he said.
He said the protest would continue to mobilise public support until the suspended officers were reinstated and reforms introduced within the Amotekun Corps.