How Amotekun Officers ‘Killed’ UI Student In Oyo

The National Association of Nigerian Students has alleged that members of the Oyo State Security Agency, Amotekun, killed a 400-level student of the University of Ibadan, Akolade Gbadebo.

The NANS Joint Campus Committee Chairman in Oyo State, Mayowa Opakunle, made the allegation against the security outfit in an interview with PUNCH in Ibadan on Wednesday.

According to Opakunle, Gbadebo was shot dead last Thursday by one of the Amotekun corps, who were invited to the area to clear a road barricaded by some students.

He said the student was shot dead by the security officials some minutes after their arrival at the scene.

The NANS chairman said he and other student union leaders went to the Criminal Investigation Department at Iyaganku in Ibadan on Monday concerning the killing.

The NANS chairman said he met with the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of CID at Iyaganku and he told him that the case was reported as robbery and cultism.

Akeju said, “A 400 Level student of University of Ibadan affiliated with Federal College of Education, Oyo (special); Akolade Gbadebo, was shot dead by a member of the Amotekun corps last Thursday.

“I was told that Amotekun corps were called that some students barricaded the road in the area. They came and somebody was said to have fired at them and they returned the fire. The bullet hit the student and he died. The incident happened around 10:30pm last Thursday.

“We want the police to investigate the matter thoroughly and Governor Seyi Makinde said during the inauguration that he should be held responsible for any crime committed by Amotekun because he is their overall boss.

“We therefore call on the Oyo State Government to ensure justice is served concerning this particular case. They should also conduct necessary orientation and training for this set of supposed security operatives, else the Amotekun corps will worsen the situation they were recruited to solve.”

A younger brother of the slain student, Habeb Gbadebo, who spoke on behalf of the family of the deceased, said on the phone that the police at Atiba had told them to go and identify the corpse.

He added, “We later went to Iyaganku and the second in command of the Amotekun corps, one Jamiu, represented the Amotekun there. He said it was a robbery case and that my brother shot at them immediately they got there.

“If my brother shot at them, how come the bullet hit him in the back? It is a mystery. They later said he was not the one that shot at them but it was another person. One thing I know is that Amotekun operatives are trying to twist the story and cover it but we won’t allow that to happen.”

The Information Officer of Amotekun in Oyo State, Mrs Ayolola Adedoja, when contacted by our correspondent, said the story was not true.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Mr Olugbenga Fadeyi, said he was not aware of the matter and promised to find out and call back.