The Oyo State Government has cautioned opposition politicians against politicising the recent kidnapping incident in Oriire Local Government Area, warning that such actions could undermine ongoing security operations and endanger public safety across the state.
The government described attempts to misrepresent facts surrounding the incident as irresponsible, misleading, and capable of distorting public understanding of security efforts in the state.
Speaking in Ibadan on Friday, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the narrative being circulated by some political actors was not only inaccurate but also politically motivated.
He noted that Governor Seyi Makinde recently disclosed that about 200 Amotekun personnel had died since the corps was established six years ago, stressing that the figure reflected cumulative losses over time from various causes, including illness, natural causes, and operational duties.
Condemning claims linking the figure to the Oriire incident, Oyelade said such suggestions were misleading and a deliberate distortion of the governor’s statement on operational casualties.
The commissioner clarified that no operative of the Amotekun Corps was killed during the Oriire kidnapping incident, adding that only one personnel sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment.
He explained that the 200 deaths recorded since 2020 were not linked to a single incident but resulted from a combination of illness, natural causes, and security operations, with families duly informed and procedures followed.
Oyo State Amotekun, he said, remains one of the most equipped security outfits in the South-West, with 181 vehicles, 450 motorcycles, and over 2,500 personnel deployed across the state.
Oyelade added that Governor Makinde has consistently called for the establishment of state police and improved arming of security agencies since 2021 to strengthen the fight against banditry and kidnapping.
The commissioner urged opposition parties to desist from inflammatory narratives that could worsen insecurity and put residents, including children and teachers, at risk.