On December 30, 2022, a group of security agents code-named Amotekun stormed a neigbouring community around 4:30 am in the Apata area of Ibadan.

FIJ learnt the security men had visited the apartment on the pretext of chasing some armed robbers who fled Ijebu and had taken that housing structure as a refuge.

Upon hearing gunshots, Olayinka Aguda, generally referred to as Bobola, one of the occupants, fled for dear life thinking it was armed robbers.

Aguda was living together with his four friends, who were arrested, while he was shot dead with the belief that he was one of the actual sought-after armed robbers.

WAKING UP TO GUNSHOTS

Zusk, commonly called being a musician, who identified as Aguda’s brother, has called out the Oyo State Government on his Twitter handle @zuks2dbeng.

On Monday, 72 hours after Aguda’s disappearance, Zusk said, “My brother was at his home when Amotekun came to his neighborhood with the information that there was a robbery going on.”

“They approached his house and started shooting, scaring those who were asleep.”

He added that Aguda had fled “on waking up to gunshots in front of the house, thinking armed robbers were at the gate”.

He said Aguda “jumped the fence to hide in a nearby school, and it was there that the Amotekun started pursuing them, firing multiple gunshots. Aguda’s four friends were arrested and detained at Eleyele Police Station in Ibadan“.

“According to people living around,” he said, “Amotekun came to the nearby school to pick up a corpse. The people said Amotekun told them they had killed one armed robber, and ever since, they (Amotekun) have refused to provide the corpse.”

We all went out to protest and protest against police brutality in the state and we thought we had it corrected with the involvement of the "Amotekun" introduction but it's all shitty.

When will these so called #Amotekun stop all these rubb! sh harassment in the state?n pic.twitter.com/bTZXWjYSie

— Zusk2dbeng (@Zusk2dbeng) January 1, 2023

“It’s been 72 hours and no comment has been made as to the whereabouts of my brother,” Musk said.

“We have made several reports to the Apata Police Station and also the area command in Iyaganku. They have invited the Amotekun, yet no one has responded.”

GIVE US BOBOLA – LIVING OR DEAD

On Tuesday, placard-carrying youths stormed the Ayefele Music House demanding justice for Bobola, calling hard on Amotekun and protesting in a loud and clear message for the release of Bobola living or dead.

One of the aggrieved protesters kicked, “Release Bobo to us. Release Bobo to us. He is not a chicken.”

Twitter users who are associated with Aguda in one way or another also registered their displeasure.

@akinthelaw, who described Aguda as his secondary school classmate, said, “We were at the Eleyele police station. We were told to come back today (Tuesday). Till now, nobody knows the whereabouts of Yinka. The police officers said Amotekun officers have been summoned to come and give an explanation. Yinka’s friends are in custody.”

@investor_jnr said, “Kindly help us find Bobola. It’s been more than 85 hours since they got attacked and got shot by Amotekun in apata and till this moment, we are yet to see or hear anything from Bobola.”

‘I CANNOT MAKE ANY COMMENTS’

Colonel Olayinka Olayanju (retd.), the Commandant of the Oyo State Amotekun Corps, told FIJ on Wednesday: “I cannot make any comments about the matter. It is already being investigated by the police. I’m sorry.”

Meanwhile, SP Adewale Osifeso, the state Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed Amotekun’s December 30 attack to FIJ on Tuesday.

“There was going to be a break down of law and order at the time. There was going to be an attack on innocent lives and property. What they (the police) did was to prevail over the situation. We have asked that the complainant come with more details,” he said.

The PPRO also stated on Thursday that investigation was still ongoing, though there had not been any formal response to the demands of the complainants.

Zusk, however, stated in the early hours of Friday on his Instagram handle zusk2dbeng, two days after FIJ sent him a message, that the investigation conducted by the State Criminal Investigation Department on Tuesday had yielded no fruit.

“On Tuesday, 3rd of January 2023, the Amotekun officers were invited to the state CID, where they were interviewed/interrogated alongside the four detainees, but they are still denying and refusing to provide the whereabouts of Bobola,” he said.

“The Amotekun officers are currently in detention and the police are still investigating the crime, while Bobola’s four friends who were detained were released on Wednesday.

“Why would he just disappear? How could four people be running and you claim to have only seen three? Who fired a gun at the field? Amotekun, provide my brother.”

Ige is a reporter with FIJ, in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.