The mother of a 25-year-old man, Tunde Alimi, allegedly killed by officers of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun Corps in Ogun State has appealed to the state government to avenge the death of her son.
Monsurat Alimi told journalists on Sunday that she saw the lifeless body of her son on Facebook where they tagged him a cultist and an armed robber.
“He is not a cultist. They did not inform us that he had been killed, it was on Facebook that we saw it,” said Mrs Alimi, 49.
Operatives of the Amotekun Corps had stormed a compound in Sokori, Abeokuta, last week and shot Mr Alimi after he allegedly tried to escape.
A statement issued by Amotekun, afterward, said Mr Alimi and his gang engaged the corps in a gun duel which eventually led to his death.
The statement was titled ‘Death of notorious Eiye cultist and armed robber.’
The statement quoted the Amotekun commander, David Akinremi, as saying that his men engaged a group of cultists and robbers in a gun duel during an operation in the state.
Mr Akinremi said Mr Alimi, whom he identified as the leader of the group, opened fire on the operatives. The operatives, to disarm Mr Alimi, shot him on the arm.
“The suspect immediately ran into the nearby bush along with his other cohorts, dropping a locally made pistol which was recovered by the operatives.
“A painstaking search was conducted in the bush where he escaped into during which he was arrested while others escaped.”
Mr Akinremi said they rushed Mr Alimi to Ijaye General Hospital where he was confirmed dead shortly on arrival.
“His death was sad as his being alive would have availed security agencies veritable information that would have helped in stemming the tides of this menace,”” he added.
‘Vulcaniser’, not cultist
Mrs Alimi said her son was a vulcaniser and not a cultist as claimed by Amotekun.
She said he left behind a wife and a son.
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“It was on Saturday when they called me and said he was at the junction of his workshop and that was where they apprehended him,” said Mrs Alimi.
“They said he was shot by the Amotekun the moment he tried to escape from the riverbank.
“When I got to the place where he was shot, all those that were present said he knew nothing about what he was killed for.
“I was told that while he was being taken away, he was begging them that he was not a cultist nor an armed robber.”
Mrs Alimi said after they shot her son, they did not allow her to see him until she saw the announcement of his death on Facebook “with a gun placed on his chest, claiming they found it on him. It is a lie.”
She urged the government to help facilitate the release of Mr Alimi’s corpse to the family.
“We want the government to find out what led to the killing of my son. Please help me, they want to cheat me. They want to use power to cheat me. They killed my son and seized his corpse.”
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