T£nsion In Oyo State As Amotekun Operatives Plan Strike, Protest Over Five-Year Delay In Appointment Letters
Tension In Oyo State As Amotekun Operatives Plan Strike, Protest Over Five-Year Delay In Appointment Letters
The corps officers stated that frustration has reached a breaking point across all 33 Local Government Areas, with operatives alleging that they have remained contract staff under slavery conditions since the outfit was created in 2020.
Operatives of the Oyo State Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, are preparing for a statewide strike and protest over the refusal of Governor Seyi Makinde, the Chairman of the Amotekun Board, AIG Sikiru Akande (retd.), and the State Commandant Col. Olayinka Olayanju (Rtd.) to issue official appointment letters — nearly five years after the security outfit was established.
The corps officers stated that frustration has reached a breaking point across all 33 Local Government Areas, with operatives alleging that they have remained contract staff under slavery conditions since the outfit was created in 2020.
In a statement issued on behalf of the operatives, the members commended the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, for his courage in pushing Southwest governors to create Amotekun.
“We would like to commend late Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for his bravery in motivating other Southwest governors to form Amotekun. May his soul rest in peace. Engr Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde formed Amotekun in Oyo State by the House Assembly on November 18, 2020.
“Everyone in the state appreciates Amotekun’s efforts and commitment to reducing crime in Oyo state.”
According to them, despite public appreciation for Amotekun’s success in foiling kidnapping attempts in Lagelu and Akinyele, the state government has refused to give the corps the legal job protection required to function effectively.
“This Amotekun decisively quashed the kidnappers’ plan in Oyo State, both in Lagelu Local Government and Akinyele. Since the creation in 2020, Oyo State has been under slavery, with contract staff failing to give appointment letters to Oyo State Amotekun.”
The operatives questioned why Governor Makinde quickly placed security workers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) on the state payroll during a visit to Ogbomoso, yet failed to do the same for hundreds of Amotekun officers risking their lives daily.
The aggrieved corps alleged that Col. Olayinka Olayanju has repeatedly boasted that he personally halted the process of issuing appointment letters since 2021
Col Olayinka olayanju has repeatedly stated that he is the one who stops the process of granting Oyo State Amotekun Appointment Letters since 2021, and he repeated this statement during the Oyo State Assembly legislative scrutiny on November 19, 2025, when the Oyo State Deputy Speaker stated that he expects them to discuss letter of appointment and insurance.
“Col. Olayinka Olayanju stated that the reason he could not allow Oyo State Amotekun to have appointment letters was due to the presence of veteran operatives, who are more active than the young ones. This excuse is a shame,” they said.
There are also strong calls for the dissolution of the Amotekun board over what operatives described as lack of transparency in the handling of an alleged ₦1.2million collected from each of the 33 local government chairmen over the last five years.
Amotekun operatives across Oyo State listed the following demands: “Issue all Oyo State Amotekun Appointment Letters: This will give the operatives confidence in their job.
“Organise the Oyo State Amotekun into ranks and files.”
Amotekun operatives in Oyo State also demanded the hardship allowance announced by Governor Seyi Makinde at the NYSC camp during the last recruitment in Iseyin.
“Dissolution of the Amotekun board due to a lack of openness to the state government on N1.2million collected from all 33 local governments chairman in Oyo State for over five years.
“The sacking of Col Olayinka Olayanju and the chairman of Amotekun for a security plot in Oyo State.”
However, they explained that all states had been experiencing insecurity, including Zamfara, Borno, and Plateau states
They have now entered Kwara State, and we have recently received intelligence reports to attack Oyo state. Amotekun operatives are the outfit that will be on the ground, but the government has not issued appointments letters to them to make them have confidence in this job.”
The operatives appealed to the Oyo State House of Assembly to conduct direct visits to all Amotekun offices across the 33 local governments to hear their complaints firsthand.
They warned that ignoring the issue may allow security challenges in the state to escalate beyond control.
“With this, we want the Oyo State House of Assembly to pay visits to every Amotekun office in local government in oyo state to listen to what everyone is clamouring for based on appointment letters and work towards resolving security issues in Oyo State before they become out of control,” they added.
