The Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun on Thursday announced the dismissal of one of its operatives for killing a bystander in Ibadan, the State capital.

The commandant of the agency, Col. Olayanju Olayinka (rtd.) in a statement on Thursday explained the corps dismissed Kazeem Afolabi after an investigation showed that he shot the victim against Amotekun’s protocol.

The six states in Nigeria’s western region formed Amotekun to address the rising incidence of armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, and murder in the region and other parts of the country.

Olayinka disclosed that Afolabi shot dead 23-year-old Tosin Thomas at Mokola Roundabout area of Ibadan on Wednesday evening when the corps was called to intervene in an armed robbery attack.

 “At about 10 pm on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, operatives of Amotekun, led by Team Leader George Idowu, got an alert of a purported armed robbery operation at Total Filling Station, Mokola, Ibadan.

He said that following the distress call, the Team Leader and his team of seven members arrived on the scene. However, on their arrival at the scene of the alleged crime, the team discovered that there was no 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,” Olayinka said.

“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, 23, who was subsequently confirmed dead.

 

According to the Commander, 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,” he said.

 

“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.”