Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun has dismissed one of its operatives Kazeem Afolabi for killing a 21-year-old man in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Commandant of the agency Col. Olayanju Olayinka (retd) said in a statement yesterday that the corps took the decision after investigation showed that Afolabi shot the victim against Amotekun’s protocols.
Tosin Thomas was shot dead at Mokola Roundabout on Wednesday evening when the corps was called to intervene in an armed robbery attack.
The Amotekun team comprised a leader George Idowu and seven officials.
The statement read: “At about 10pm on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, operatives of Amotekun got an alert of a purported armed robbery operation at Total Filling Station, Mokola, Ibadan.
“On arrival at the scene of the alleged crime, it turned out that it was not an armed robbery operation, though a crowd had gathered.
“The Team Leader, sensing no immediate danger to anyone at the scene, immediately proceeded to speak with the station manager. While he was with the manager, he heard a gunshot.
“As it turned out, one of his team members, by the name Afolabi Kazeem, who felt sufficiently threatened by the crowd, which included some hoodlums armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, opened fire to supposedly scare away the crowd. Unfortunately, his shot hit one Mr Tosin Thomas who was subsequently confirmed dead.
“The Corps has found that Afolabi Kazeem with Ammunition Number AM031849 acted outside the Amotekun Corps’ protocols.
“For this reason, he has been summarily dismissed from the Corps and handed over to the police for prosecution. Also, his Team leader, George Idowu, is being thoroughly investigated and will face all necessary sanctions.
“We want to reassure members of the public of our internal mechanisms for dealing with erring officers. We will continue to train and retrain our officers on best practices and rules of engagement.
“The Corps deeply regrets the loss to the Thomas family, and we are already in touch with the family.”
The police command said it received a complaint on the killing of the 21-year-old.
Spokesman Olugbenga Fadeyi, a Chief Superintendent said the complaint was filed by one Alamu Timothy at the Mokola Police station.
