AKINLALU KILLINGS: FAMILIES STILL SEARCHING FOR TWO BODIES 10 MONTHS LATER

Ten months after a deadly shooting in Akinlalu, Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, families of two victims are still searching for the remains of their loved ones.

The victims, identified as Oyebamiji Ibrahim and Oyebamiji Ismaila, were among four people who died following the September 30, 2025 incident, which residents alleged involved operatives of the Western Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun.

While the remains of the other two victims, Sefiu Oyebamiji and Abiola Olutayo, were eventually taken to morgues in Ile-Ife and Osogbo, the whereabouts of Ibrahim and Ismaila remain unknown.

The incident reportedly began after Amotekun operatives arrived in the community over a locally fabricated firearm allegedly seized from a suspect. Residents claimed that the operatives opened fire in the town centre, resulting in four deaths and injuries to eight others.

Amotekun, however, gave a different account of the incident, maintaining that its personnel were involved in a gun battle that lasted about 30 minutes.

According to community members, the bodies of some of those killed were taken away from the scene by the security operatives. Ten months later, relatives of Ibrahim and Ismaila say they have still not been told where the remains were taken.

The families have reportedly written several letters to the Osun State Government and other relevant authorities seeking assistance in locating the bodies and securing their release for burial.

Akinlalu Youth Leader, Musibau Adeboye, said the community had been informed at some point that the remains were deposited at the State Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, but the information had not been independently confirmed.

For the Oyebamiji family, the uncertainty has created an additional emotional burden. Mrs Alaba Oyebamiji, who lost two sons in connection with the incident, said the family had suffered significant emotional and psychological distress because of the prolonged search for Ismaila's remains.

She appealed to the state government to intervene, saying the family was willing to resolve the matter out of court because of its limited financial resources and simply wanted the remains released for proper burial.

The family also received ₦10m in compensation from the Osun State Government, according to Mrs Oyebamiji. However, she said much of the money was spent on medical treatment for Sefiu, who later died from injuries sustained during the incident.

The aftermath of the killings also led to the arrest of at least 20 Amotekun operatives in October 2025 during police raids on the corps' offices in Ife and Osogbo.

The then Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, subsequently directed the Force Intelligence Response Team to take over the investigation into the incident.

Despite the passage of several months, the investigation remains ongoing. The Osun Amotekun spokesperson, Yusuf Idowu, declined to comment on the matter, saying it was before the court, while the police confirmed that the probe had not been abandoned.

For the affected families, however, the central issue remains unresolved: finding the remains of Ibrahim and Ismaila so they can finally be laid to rest.

The continuing uncertainty has left the Akinlalu community demanding answers and renewed government intervention over an incident that occurred nearly a year ago.