New Twist as Police Justify Arrest of Oyo Amotekun Officer: “Involved in Illegal Firearms Sales”
- The Nigerian Police Force, Zone 11, Osogbo, said it has valid evidence to arrest one Amoo Saheed, an Amotekun officer
- Speaking with Legit.ng, DSP Ade Ogunyemi said the arrested official is a member of a syndicate dealing in the sale of unauthorised firearms
- State Commandant of Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju, had earlier raised an alarm over the arrest of the Amotekun Officer
The Zone 11 Command of the Nigerian police has addressed the arrest of Amoo Saheed Ajibola, a corps officer of the Oyo State Command of Amotekun.
The police faulted claims that the arrest was illegal and alleged that the apprehended Amotekun operative was a gun-running suspect.
Source: Facebook
The spokesperson of the Zone 11 Command of the Nigerian Police Force, DSP Ade Ogunyemi, said the arrest was based on intelligence gathering. He added that Saheed Amoo had been on the wanted list for a long time.
Oyo state commandant of Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju, had earlier raised an alarm over the arrest of Saheed by the police.
Amotekun condemns “Gestapo-like abduction”
Colonel Olayanju condemned the arrest and described it as a Gestapo-like abduction of an officer on duty.
The organisation alleged that the supposed abduction was carried out at about 8 p.m. on February 17, 2026, while he was on duty in General Gas, Akobo, Ibadan.
He berated the Nigerian Police for not following the required procedure before the arrest.
“The agency has consistently maintained a cooperative relationship with other sister security agencies, which includes the Police, DSS, and the NSCDC, particularly in handling criminal cases involving its own operatives. We have always handed over suspected accused to the relevant security agencies on request. That is the standard procedure being observed in our collaboration with the police and other sister agencies."
What illegal activities did Ajibola commit?
In its reaction, the Zonal Command of the Nigerian Police Force, Zone 11, Osogbo, said the arrested person was allegedly involved in the sale of prohibited arms and forgery, describing him as a principal suspect.
Speaking through its Public Relations Officer, DSP Ade Ogunyemi, the Zone 11 said the police action was lawful:
"Contrary to the claim by the Oyo Amotekun, the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 11, Osogbo, is investigating a case involving gun running, illegal sales of prohibited arms, forgery, and unlawful possession of firearms. Amo Saheed Ajibola, the individual arrested, is a principal suspect in the syndicate and has been at large for a long time.”
Source: Twitter
DSP Ogunyemi also noted that,
“According to investigations, Ajibola sold prohibited firearms to unauthorized individuals for criminal use and forged a fake police license, contravening the ban on issuing licenses for prohibited arms to individuals since 2018. Until his arrest, there was no information regarding his being a member of the Amotekun Corps.”
Ogunyemi, who disclosed that three other suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, added that “a barrel gun was recovered.”
The Police Spokesperson, in a message to Oyo State Amotekun, also explained that the Police had made attempts to invite the suspect, Mr. Amoo Saheed hbut with no result.
“Meanwhile, the police had made several attempts to invite the suspect, but efforts were unsuccessful. The arrest followed credible intelligence and due process. The police will continue to uphold the law despite misinformation.”
Amotekun arrests fleeing suspects after airstrikes
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Amotekun operatives arrested 39 suspects hiding in Ondo forests after fleeing Sokoto, following recent US-backed airstrikes targeting terrorist camps in northern Nigeria.
Security officials said the suspects were discovered in forest reserves in Ose LGA, a known crime hotspot, where they allegedly hid with vehicles parked far away.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
