Wives of operatives of the Osun State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the Ooni of Ife’s palace in Osun, demanding the intervention of the monarch for the release of their detained husbands.
The women, who carried placards with messages such as “Children of detained innocent Amotekun are denied school” and “Oonirisa, please intervene as head of Yoruba race”, said they were desperate for justice.
Addressing journalists, one of the protesters, Mrs. Omolola Adedokun, urged Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi to use his moral authority and influence to secure the freedom of their husbands.
Adedokun said the women had earlier submitted petitions to the Osun State House of Assembly and other relevant authorities but had not received any positive response.
Another protester, Mrs. Oroniyan Fatima, lamented the hardship her family has faced since her husband, Oroniyan Damilare, was detained. She insisted that he was not on duty when the alleged Akinlalu incident occurred and described his detention as unjust.
“My husband is always crying whenever I speak with him on the phone, and he is in need of medical care because he is not feeling well,” she said.
Mrs. Oyewole Oluwaseyi also appealed for intervention, saying the Akinlalu incident led to the destruction of her husband’s father’s house. She explained that her husband, Oyewole Ebenezer, was picked up by the police while villagers burnt down his father’s house.
Oluwaseyi insisted her husband had no involvement in the killings in Akinlalu village, describing the situation as punishment for a crime he did not commit. She appealed to the Federal Government and the police to review the matter and free the detainees.
High Chief Kayode Awofiranye, the Arode of Ife, who spoke on behalf of the Ooni’s palace, told the protesters that the monarch was out of town. He assured them that their grievances would be forwarded to the Ooni and asked them to return at a later date.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that 25 Amotekun operatives were arrested and taken to Abuja in October following the alleged killing of three persons in Akinlalu village by Amotekun operatives.
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