NB247
The Ondo State High Court in Akure has dismissed claims of damages by three Amotekun officers against the Ondo State Security Network, affirming the agency’s powers to discipline and punish erring officers.
The court however faulted Amotekun in declaring the personnel wanted on the grounds that they were evading arrest.
The officers were accused of “mutiny, conspiracy and incitement against the state.”
The affected officers, Abu Taiwo, Akinsipe Victor, and Ekujuni Julius, had undertaken a protest against the agency demanding for proper employment documentations for staff members and adequate welfare package as obtained in other similar agencies of other South West states.
The management of Amotekun responded with allegations of misconduct against the officers and demanded their arrest, but the officers went into hiding and sought the protection of the court.
Amotekun however secured a warrant of arrest for them and declared them wanted.
Delivering his ruling on Monday, Olusegun Odusola, who is also the Chief Judge of Ondo State, held that “the Criminal Procedure Act, Section 35 allows courts — not agencies — to issue formal ‘public summons’ declaring a person wanted.”
He said that Amotekun Corps had earlier secured a valid warrant of arrest from the court on October 24, 2025, three days before the officers were declared “wanted” by the corps.
“Amotekun’s warrant of arrest was lawful; the agency simply should have returned to court to convert it into a formal public summons if the officer was evading service,” the judge submitted.
The court further rejected a ₦5 million damages claim brought by the three officers stating that the agency has the statutory duty to maintain discipline and punish personnel accused of serious crimes such as mutiny, conspiracy and incitement against the state.
The judge also chided the applicant, Abu Taiwo (Amotekun Officer), who the court found “cannot benefit from a situation partly created by his own misconduct.”
The court acknowledged the “series of criminal allegations” against Abu Taiwo, Akinsipe Victor, and Ekujuni Julius (Adon) documented in Amotekun’s counter-affidavit, including, “Absconding from duty post for over 30 days without permission; Inflammatory statements against the Corps; Conspiracy to violently invade the State House of Assembly; Governor’s Office, and Amotekun Headquarters; as well as Inciting mutiny among serving officers; Defamation of character against Corps leadership; Conduct likely to cause breach of peace.”
Also Justice Odusola who reviewed extensive Social media evidence showing the applicant and his co-conspirators, held that the warrant of arrest issued on them by Amotekun Corps was justified noting that “a person’s right to liberty may be impaired temporally if there is reasonable suspicion that he has committed an offence.”
The trio ran to the courts to seek protection, saying they have been dehumanised and subjected to untold hardships due to the persecution melted out to them by the agency’s leadership.
They asserted that their families had been subjected traumatic experiences l, poverty and deprivation due to the action of the agency.
However, Amotekun denied the allegations urging the officers to submit themselves to due process of law to prove their innocence.