The Amotekun Corps in Osun State has alleged that one of its officers, Samuel Tope, was killed by a soldier simply identified as Opejobi Fiyinfoluwa in the Ijeda-Ijesa community of the state.
The 35-year-old operative was reportedly attacked on Saturday evening by Fiyinfoluwa, accompanied by yet-to-identified persons.
The assailants inflicted a severe head injury on Tope, who later died in the early hours of Sunday while receiving treatment at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.
A statement issued by the Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Mr. Adekunle Omoyele, on Sunday in Osogbo, alleged that Tope was attacked without provocation by the soldier, who was dressed in military uniform at the time of the incident.
The statement read in parts: “The incident occurred around 5:45 p.m. when a soldier, identified as Opejobi Fiyinfoluwa, who was recently recruited into the Nigerian Army, launched an unprovoked assault on the Amotekun operative.
“Fiyinfoluwa, dressed in military camouflage, approached the Amotekun station in Ijebu-Jesa with hostile intent.
“He allegedly declared that part of his reason for joining the Army was to ‘deal decisively’ with Amotekun personnel.
“Shortly after, while Officer Tope was riding a motorcycle, the soldier and his accomplices stopped him and launched a violent attack.
“The assailants reportedly struck Tope on the head with a blunt object, causing him to fall from the bike. The brutal assault lasted for about 20 minutes, with no intervention, leaving Tope in a pool of blood.
“After the attack, the soldier fled the scene on a commercial motorcycle.”
Omoyele said other operatives of the Corps later evacuated Tope to Wesley Guild Hospital in Ilesa and promptly informed the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ijebu-Jesa.
A report was also lodged with Lt. Col. Yunusa Isyaku at the Engineering Cantonment in Ede.
“Unfortunately, despite efforts to save his life, Officer Peter Samuel Tope succumbed to his injuries early Sunday morning,” the Corps Commander said.
Omoyele demanded a thorough investigation into the matter, vowing that no effort would be spared in ensuring that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice.
