The Osun State Command of the Amotekun Corps has alleged that one of its officers, 35-year-old Samuel Tope, was fatally attacked by a soldier identified as Fiyinfoluwa in the Ijeda-Ijesa area on Saturday evening.
Tope reportedly sustained a critical head injury during the assault and died in the early hours of Sunday while receiving medical treatment at Wesley Guild Hospital in Ilesa.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Corps Commander, Mr. Adekunle Omoyele, the agency claimed the soldier, who was dressed in military fatigues, launched the attack without provocation and was accompanied by unidentified individuals.
Recounting the incident, the statement read in part: “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 statement continued: “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.”
Following the incident, other operatives from the Corps were said to have rushed Tope to the hospital and alerted the police division in Ijebu-Jesa. A formal report was also submitted to 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,” Omoyele added.
The Corps has called for a comprehensive investigation and pledged to pursue justice for the slain officer.
“No effort will be spared in ensuring that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice,” the Corps Commander vowed.
