A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Chief Musibau Alade, has raised concerns over the alleged politicisation of the Amotekun Corps, accusing the state government of using the outfit to target opposition members.

In a statement on Sunday, Chief Alade condemned the recent arrest and alleged brutalisation of Mr. Wale Adebayo, Personal Assistant to former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, along with his ex-aide Mr. Taiwo Olaore and other APC members. 

He described the incident, which occurred in Iragbiji, the hometown of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, as a case of political witch-hunt.

He warned against turning Amotekun into a tool for intimidation, saying, “The State Government is weaponising Amotekun to silence political opponents.”

He said, “Amotekun, established under the leadership of former Governor Oyetola and other Southwest leaders, was designed as a grassroots security initiative to combat rising insecurity in the region not for political reason. 

“During Oyetola’s tenure, Amotekun was never used to harass or silence political opponents. But now the outfit is use to score political vendettas which is undermining its credibility and eroding public trust.”

He urged stakeholders to act swiftly to restore Amotekun’s original mission of protecting lives and property.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Amotekun, Yusuf Idowu denied the allegation, describing it as baseless, saying, “The Amotekun Corps is a non-partisan, community-based security outfit whose operations are guided strictly by the law, professionalism, and the collective interest of the people of Osun State without fear or favour.

“Commander Adekunle Omoyele has brought discipline, transparency, and operational efficiency to the Corps, winning the confidence of traditional rulers, community leaders, and citizens across party lines.”