- The Commander of Oyo State Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), has said some of the aides of Governor Seyi Makinde are indirectly backing hoodlums terrorising the people of some areas in Ibadan.
The Amotekun commander disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking during a programme on Fresh FM, Ibadan.
Three persons were reportedly shot and injured in a fresh attack which happened on Sunday.
Olayanju said some senior aides of the governor were in the habit of pleading that the agency should free suspected hoodlums arrested in connection with gang war in some parts of the state capital.
Declining to mention their names, he said the hoodlums troubling the city were mostly teenagers, saying that was why they would not use maximum force on them.
He said, “Some people would come to plead that we should release those arrested. We arrested some in (Ibadan) North-East less than a week ago and one SA (Special Adviser) was running around begging us.
“He came and met me around NTA and I told him that we have handed them over to the police at Yemetu. I won’t mention the name. He is SA to the governor; some are chairmen, while some are lawmakers who seek such a favour.”
Speaking, the Press Secretary to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Chief Adeola Oloko, who is a resident of one of the areas, said government must take a decision and ensure that there was cordial relationship among all security agencies for a more effective security arrangement.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, said, “Ask Col. Olayanju all the questions.”
I never said hoodlums are linked to Makinde’s aide – Olayanju
However, Olayanju later recanted and said mischief makers twisted his words to suit their evil intentions.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, quoted Olayanju as saying that though he appeared on Fresh FM’s Situation Room and a Yoruba programme, Dende Oro, most of the things attributed to him were taken out of context.
He was quoted as saying, “I never said anything like Governor Makinde’s aides having links with arrested hoodlums. Somebody called in on the programme and said that Amotekun and the police were supporting hoodlums. But I said there had been times we apprehended some hoodlums and when their people came to beg us to release them, we refused and told them they were already with the police. That was what I said.
“Another thing I said was that the only time we released somebody was when a member of the House of Assembly came to meet us and said one of the persons arrested was not among those who committed the crime in the area, which happened to be his constituency.
“I said since the Honourable was an elected official and part of the government, he could not have lied to us. So, that was why we released the person to him.
“I also said one SA to the Governor put pressure on us to release somebody and we said no and that the fellow had been transferred to the police. I said I told the SA to go and deal with the police. That was all I said.”
He clarified that the SA actually called him in respect of some persons arrested for holding a carnival during the Yuletide after the government had pronounced a ban on carnivals.
“What has carnival enforcement and an appeal to release those arrested have to do with such a headline?” he queried.
