The Oyo State Government has accused opposition politicians of distorting facts surrounding the recent kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, warning against attempts to politicise security challenges in the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said comments made by Governor Seyi Makinde regarding casualties recorded within the Oyo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun Corps, had been deliberately misrepresented by some political actors.
According to Oyelade, the governor’s disclosure that about 200 Amotekun operatives had died since the establishment of the corps six years ago was being wrongly linked to the recent abduction incident in Oriire.
He said the interpretation created a misleading impression that the deaths occurred during efforts to rescue the kidnapped pupils and teachers, describing the claim as a deliberate distortion of facts.
“For the opposition to turn the statistics on its head is nothing but cheap politics. Amotekun has not lost a single operative in the Oriire kidnapping incident.
The only casualty recorded was a personnel who sustained injuries and is currently recuperating,” Oyelade stated.
The commissioner clarified that the figure cited by Governor Makinde represented cumulative deaths recorded within the security outfit since its inception in 2020.
Oyelade explained that the fatalities resulted from a combination of factors, including health-related issues, natural causes and deaths sustained during security operations across the state.
He added that in all such cases, appropriate procedures were followed, including notifying the families of affected personnel.
Defending the performance of the state-owned security outfit, Oyelade said the Oyo State Amotekun Corps remains the most funded and best-equipped security network among the South-West states.
He disclosed that the corps currently operates a fleet of 181 vehicles and 450 motorcycles while maintaining a workforce of more than 2,500 personnel.
According to him, the outfit is not only the largest Amotekun formation in the region but also ranks among the best-paid security organisations of its kind.
The commissioner also reiterated Governor Makinde’s longstanding advocacy for the establishment of state police and the provision of superior weapons to security agencies to strengthen the fight against banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
He noted that the governor had consistently championed the cause since 2021 but lamented that the proposal had yet to receive the level of attention required despite worsening security concerns across the country.
Oyelade urged politicians to refrain from making statements capable of complicating ongoing rescue operations or putting lives at risk, stressing that security matters should not be subjected to partisan politics.
He further appealed to residents to continue supporting security agencies and the state government in efforts aimed at preserving peace and protecting lives and property across Oyo State.
