Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, on Thursday, led a peaceful protest in Akure, the Ondo State capital, demanding justice for three suspended officers of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps.
The suspended officers – Abu Taiwo, Akinsipe Victor, and Ekunjumi Julius – were reportedly sanctioned for alleged breaches of their oaths of allegiance and secrecy.
The Commander of the Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, had announced their indefinite suspension earlier in the week while parading four suspected criminals in Akure. He also declared the trio wanted for further investigations, alleging they had been involved in unprofessional conduct, including making disparaging comments about the agency on social media.
According to Adeleye, the officers’ actions amounted to a deliberate attempt to undermine and distract the Corps from its core mandate of safeguarding lives and property in the state.
However, Sowore, an indigene of Ondo State and publisher of Sahara Reporters, led hundreds of protesters – including youth groups, civil society activists, and concerned residents – in a march that began at Cathedral Junction and moved through major streets of Akure.
The demonstrators carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Justice for the Amotekun 3,” “Stop Victimisation,” and “Truth Will Prevail.”
Addressing the crowd, Sowore condemned what he called a “dangerous trend of abuse of power” within the Amotekun Corps, warning that such conduct could jeopardize the credibility of Nigeria’s push for state policing.
“Those we are hoping would transform into the state police have already begun to abuse power,” Sowore said. “If we fail to hold them accountable now, we will be breeding another layer of oppression in the name of community security.”
He accused the Amotekun leadership of administrative impunity and injustice, claiming that the suspended officers had become “victims of a power tussle rather than any proven wrongdoing.”
Sowore called on the Ondo State Government and Commander Adetunji Adeleye to lift the suspension, withdraw the “wanted” declaration against the officers, and issue proper appointment letters to all Amotekun personnel across the state.
He also demanded improved welfare for Amotekun operatives, proposing a ₦250,000 monthly salary to reflect the high-risk nature of their duties.
“These men risk their lives daily to protect their communities,” Sowore said. “They deserve better treatment, better pay, and above all, justice.”
The activist emphasized that the protest went beyond the case of the suspended officers, describing it as part of a larger struggle for transparency, fairness, and institutional integrity in the state’s security system.
“Justice must prevail,” he declared. “This is not just about the Amotekun Three, it’s about building a system where no one is victimised for speaking the truth or demanding accountability.”
