Amitolu breaks silence over alleged govt’s assets recovery in his residence

The former Field Commander, Osun Amotekun Corps, Comrade Amitolu Shittu has described the move by the Osun State Asset Recovery Task Force as invasion of his privacy following the siege laid on his residence.

He made this known in a release signed on Tuesday in Osogbo as a response to the incident, asking the government to immediately publish any document relating to the particulars of the vehicle which was taken away from his residence by the Assets Recovery Task Force.

According to reports, Task Force set up by the state government visited Amitolu’s residence in Osogbo in the early hours of Monday, 29th July, 2024 by the order of the state government to recover some unreturned government vehicles.

However, Amitolu debunked the report of retrieving three vehicles from his residence, noting that only one vehicle was taken away.

He vow to contest the “invasion” and allegations in the Court of law.

Read the full statement below 👇

“1. My attention has been drawn to the blatant lies dished out by the State Information Commissioner, Mr Kolapo Alimi

“2. When he was labeled the new Osun PDP’s “lying machine” by the spokesman to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, I thought that was too harsh. But for Mr. Alimi to claim that three vehicles were recovered from my house following the siege laid on my residence in the early hours of Monday, 29th July, 2024 by the uniformed Governor Ademola Adeleke’s political thugs, when in actual fact only one vehicle was recovered, appears to want to validate Alimi’s labeling as a “lying machine.”

“3. Only a vehicle that bears no identity of government was carted away as against the alleged three vehicles claimed by Mr. Kolapo Alimi.

“4. To this end, I am challenging the Adeleke’s government to immediately publish any document relating to the particulars of the vehicle which its politically motivated Assets Recovery Task Force carted away from my residence yesterday with a proof that I personally signed, taking the possession of the same vehicle, else, all those involved in the invasion of my privacy should be ready to face the wrath of the law.

“5. It is on record that all the vehicles given to Amotekun which i officially handed over to the government before I voluntarily resigned had been grounded without replacement despite the humongous amount of money they are siphoning through Amotekun today and the fact is not farfetched as it is glaring to the citizens that Osun Amotekun has become political appendage of the current government.

“6. I am proud today that I served diligently as the Field Commander of Amotekun that is why till today most communities in the state particularly in Osogbo and its environs continue to pray for me for restoring peace to most of the areas hitterto being victimized by cultists, armed robbers among other criminal elements who are now today fraternizing with the current administration and are being appointed as aides of Governor Ademola Adeleke. To doubting Thomas, anyone can approach the residents of Balogun Agoro, in Osogbo including Osun Anglican Cathedral Church on how I personally, as the Field Commander of Amotekun, led my team to rescue the community from the hands of notorious criminals led by one Lekan Oyeyemi aka Ajagungbade criminally called “Emir” who is today standing trial over murder. Emir, today, is one of the aides of the current Governor, and all the criminals that are being hunted by the Police today were declared wanted by me when I was serving as Amotekun Field Commander in the state. I am not surprised that a notorious criminal who adopted unmerited title “Ajagungbade” under PDP’s government led by Governor Adeleke to perpetrate more evil could be incongruously appointed as an aide by a failed government. Today, many of the kidnapping and ritual convicts arrested through our efforts are currently serving jail terms in different prisons, specifically, 4 different armed robbery syndicate including the then suspect of Okuku bank robbery who is now languishing in prison, ditto 7 different gangs of kidnappers and ritual killers in Ikire, Orileowu, Otan-Ile, Bode-Osi, Ilesa among other places are currently wallowing in prisons today. I am bold to say that Amotekun under my watch as Field Commander arrested scores of illegal Chinese PDP-sponsored miners who were mining in the state with fake certificates and licenses just as we ensured the arrest of 2 notorious armed robbers and 4 rapists in Iwo, Olaoluwa, Ilobu and several other places within the state. To mention but a few, the records are there.

“7. My track records can be verified by anyone and to the glory of God, several arrest on different degrees of criminality such as kidnapping, bank robbery, rituals killing and highway robbery were made under my watch.

“8. So, I see the raid of my house as a political vendetta to get at me for not allowing their thugs to have a field day while I served as Field Commander of Amotekun. I am however not perturbed by whatever is coming from government. Whoever knows me can speak to the fact I am a warrior and warriors are not usually afraid of a war, especially coming from a known quarter.

“9. While still reviewing the invasion launched on my residence, I will not hesitate to explore all means within the ambit of the law to fight this cause to the last. I am fully prepared and ready to face the government and its agents.”

OsunReporters News recalls that the state government had set up a special Asset Recovery Task Force headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alh Teslim Igbalaye on February 14, 2024 to reclaim unreturned government project vehicles and other assets by the previous administration.

While revealing the recent activities of the Task Force, the State Commissioner for Information, Hon Kolapo Alimi, said in release signed on Tuesday that the operation conducted at Comrade Amitolu’s residence was a lawful, adding that three vehicles were recovered.