The Ondo State Police Command has addressed an incident involving its officers and operatives of the Amotekun Corps on Saturday morning at the Ijoka area of Akure, assuring the public that the situation has been resolved amicably and without any exchange of gunfire.
According to a statement released by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, the incident occurred around 8 a.m. on May 4, 2025, following a report of theft at a church near Sunday Bus Stop.
In response to the report, the Divisional Police Officer at Ijoka dispatched officers to recover the suspect and retrieve stolen property.
The police officers were reportedly the first to arrive at the scene.
However, while the officers were performing their duties, operatives of the Amotekun Corps arrived alongside a group of commercial motorcyclists and allegedly took the suspect and exhibits by force, injuring one police officer in the process.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, immediately ordered tactical units to recover both the suspect and the exhibits.
Following a meeting between leaders of both agencies, the suspect and evidence were returned to the police in what the command described as a gesture of inter-agency cooperation.
Despite the peaceful resolution, the police noted that some members of the Amotekun Corps, unhappy with the handover, began firing sporadically into the air.
To control the situation and disperse the crowd, police officers used tear gas.
The command emphasized that there was no exchange of gunfire between the two security outfits.
Reaffirming its commitment to collaborative security efforts, the police urged all security agencies to operate within legal boundaries and established protocols.
The statement concluded with a reassurance to the public of the police’s dedication to peace, safety, and the rule of law across Ondo State.