Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Osun State Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin, has alleged that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force forced him to remove his underwear, singlet, trousers, shoes, socks and belt after he was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with an Amotekun operative attached to his convoy. Adejoorin, who was released on bail on Sunday, August 9, 2026, after spending nearly 24 hours in detention, made the revelation shortly after his release from the Osun State CID, where he said he had been detained alongside an operative of the Osun State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun.
The commissioner was accompanied by Pelumi Olajengbesi, the campaign spokesperson for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, after his release. Adejoorin said he was travelling to Ilesa on Saturday, August 8, with his driver and an Amotekun operative when they were intercepted by a team of police officers. The incident began after his driver missed a turn, prompting him to ask him to turn back. Shortly afterwards, he noticed an SUV approaching with a police team, including an officer he identified as Wemimo, also known as Solo. Adejoorin said the officers blocked their vehicle and made several phone calls before questioning why an Amotekun operative was accompanying him. He explained that the operative was officially attached to his office and had been assigned to provide security for him because of the deteriorating security situation in the state. According to the commissioner, the police had previously provided security personnel to his office, but those officers had been withdrawn, prompting the deployment of Amotekun operatives for his protection.
He said the police searched his vehicle, including the boot, but found nothing incriminating. The officers nevertheless ordered him and the Amotekun operative into a Land Cruiser, while his driver was instructed to follow them. Adejoorin said the police drove them around Ilesa for about 40 minutes before taking them to a house, where he encountered a man identified as Femi Oloka. He was subsequently taken to the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The commissioner said that upon arrival at the CID, he was made to sit on a counter and ordered to strip. "They took me there. By the time we got there, they had already gone upstairs to lodge complaints to the police. I don't know what they said," he said. "The next thing I saw was that we were asked to sit on a counter. They said I should remove my underwear. Yes, underwear. Singlet, eh, that I was wearing, or pants, I should remove. That I should take off my shoes and socks. That I should remove my belt. That I should take out my phone. I said, 'Why?' But I was helpless at that moment. I complied". Adejoorin said someone later intervened and questioned the manner in which he was being treated, pointing out that he was a serving commissioner. "So at that point, something happened. Someone came and said, 'This is not right. This is an honourable commissioner. It's not right. It's not right. It's not right'". The commissioner said that following the intervention, they were allowed to put their underwear and other clothes back on. According to him, the police arrested him, the Amotekun operative and his driver and ordered them to make statements. Adejoorin maintained that he was not directly accused of taking part in the shooting.
The arrest stemmed from a shooting incident that occurred during an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Ilesa on Saturday, which left three people injured. One of those injured was identified as Tobi Ilesanmi, a 14-year-old boy, who was reportedly shot near the scene of the incident around the Isokun area of Ilesa. The Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that three people were injured during the shooting, alleging that the incident was perpetrated by operatives of the Amotekun Corps who were conveyed in a vehicle bearing an official Osun State Government number plate. According to Ojelabi, the rally was ongoing when a vehicle parked beside them bearing plate number OSHAO4, and some people identified as Amotekun personnel came out of the car and shot sporadically, causing everyone to flee. Brave men among those at the rally chased the Amotekun personnel, but one of them drew a knife and attempted to stab anyone who came close, using the opportunity to escape.
Police operatives of the Intelligence Response Team stationed close to the scene responded to the distress call. On their way to the scene, they saw Adejoorin's vehicle passing and stopped him. "On intercepting the vehicle, they saw an Amotekun personnel in the vehicle. So they apprehended the vehicle, the personnel and one other person in the vehicle. They brought them straight to the headquarters here. On interrogation, it was discovered that the other occupant is Honourable Mayowa Adejoorin," Ojelabi said. The police spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing.
The incident has triggered a blame game between the APC and the Accord Party, following the arrest of Adejoorin. The Head of the APC Campaign Council for Ilesa West, Folarin Fafowora, explained that the rally was about to be concluded when the incident occurred. The Imole Campaign Council, on the other hand, alleged that APC members were responsible for the shooting and accused them of attacking Accord Party property. The campaign organisation of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke accused the police of apprehending its supporters ahead of the governorship election, claiming that the arrests were part of an attempt to intimidate members of the party ahead of the election. The council specifically cited the arrest of Mayowa Adejoorin, alleging that he was subjected to humiliating treatment while in police custody. "The latest of the spate of arrests is that of Mayowa Adejoorin, a sitting commissioner, who was stripped naked yesterday by the police. He was ordered to remove his boxers and underwear singlet just to humiliate him. That is a sitting commissioner, arrested for committing no offence other than supporting Governor Ademola Adeleke," the statement read.
Addressing the allegation while speaking to Punch, the Force spokesperson, Ani Iniedu, said the police could not arrest anyone simply for belonging to a political party, stressing that arrests were expected to be based on complaints or petitions. "Before people are arrested like that, a petition must have been written, or a complaint must have been made. So what complaint was made? It is not an offence to belong to a political party. So the police cannot arrest you for being a member of the Accord. However, there must have been some complaints made, and the police are looking into it," Iniedu said. He added that some of the arrests and remands could be linked to court orders which the police were required to obey.
Giving an update on Sunday, Ojelabi confirmed Adejoorin's release but said he could not confirm whether the Amotekun operative arrested with him had also been released. "The commissioner has been released. He was released today but the Amotekun that was arrested with him, I can't confirm his release yet because I am still gathering my facts," he said. Adejoorin said he was released on Sunday, while the Amotekun operative remained in police custody at the time. "They told me that the operative's office would have to bail him out and that I should inform his superiors that one of their men was in custody," he said. Adejoorin further alleged that police officers warned that politicians travelling with armed Amotekun personnel risked arrest. "They told me they would arrest all commissioners found with Amotekun operatives in their vehicles and that any Amotekun operative accompanying us must not be armed with a rifle," he stated.
The incident comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the Osun governorship election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, with security agencies under pressure to prevent violence and maintain public order during the campaign period. The election is a three-way contest between incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, and Dr Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress. Neither the Peoples Democratic Party nor the Labour Party will field a candidate, after Adeleke defected from the PDP.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments