Wives of detained Amotekun operatives appeal to Ooni of Ife for intervention

Wives of detained operatives of the Osun Security Network Agency, popularly known as the Amotekun Corps, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in Osun State, seeking his intervention over the continued detention of their husbands.

The women arrived at the palace carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Children of Detained Innocent Amotekun Are Denied Schooling” and “Oonirisa, Please Intervene as Head of the Yoruba Race.”

They described the protest as a desperate plea for justice, calling on the state government and relevant authorities to secure the release of their husbands.

Speaking to journalists, one of the protesters, Mrs. Omolola Adedokun, appealed to the Ooni to use his moral authority and influence to intervene in the matter.

She revealed that petitions had earlier been submitted to the Osun State House of Assembly and other concerned bodies, but no tangible outcome had been achieved.

Another protester, Mrs. Oroniyan Fatima, said her husband’s prolonged detention had subjected her and her four children to severe hardship.

She maintained that her husband, Oroniyan Damilare, was innocent and was not on duty at the time of the alleged incident in Akinlalu village.

“My husband cries whenever we speak on the phone. He is also unwell and needs medical attention,” she said.

Similarly, Mrs. Oyewole Oluwaseyi alleged that the crisis linked to the Akinlalu incident resulted in the burning of her father-in-law’s house.

She said her husband, Oyewole Ebenezer, who hails from Akinlalu village, was arrested by the police despite having no connection to the alleged killings.

According to her, her family was being unfairly punished for a crime they knew nothing about.

She appealed to the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force to revisit the case and ensure justice was served.

Responding on behalf of the palace, the Arode of Ife, High Chief Kayode Awofiranye, informed the protesters that the Ooni was out of town.

He assured them that their grievances would be communicated to the monarch and urged them to return at a later date.

However, 25 Amotekun operatives from Osun State were arrested by the police and taken to Abuja in October, following allegations that Amotekun personnel were involved in the killing of three persons in Akinlalu village.