The Ekiti Amotekun Corps Commander,retired Brigadier General Joe Komolafe has revealed how some hoodlums hibernating at the popular Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti attacked his officials attempting to enforce relocation order .
Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti,Komolafe who said no fewer than four of his men were seriously injured during the mayhem ,also disclosed that it took the intervention of other security agencies to rescue one of the Amotekun Corps kidnapped during the riot .
While condemning the unruly actions of the hoodlums, Komolafe clarified that his men were only trying to trying to embark on a peaceful and persuasive mission in ensuring traders comply with the government’s order .
The Commander hinted that the recaltrants traders had been relocated from Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti to the new location provided by government at Agric Olope.
Komolafe also dismissed report of gunshots saying that his men who were not armed could not have fired any shots .He added that the market was notorious for harbouring criminals.
He said ” I don’t know who shot the gun, but the gunshot was not from our operatives. I am not aware of any casualty, but my boys sustained injuries. If there is, the criminals are to be held responsible.
“Some of them have complied, but the criminals among them haven’t. We however assure that the will comply to the State government’s directive”, he said.
“Ekiti State Security Agency has always been free of rancour, about three years ago that we started our operation. The State passed an information to all the people buying and selling within the streets of Ado to move to other markets like Awedele, Agric Olope, Oba market to move inside, not to stay by the road side. And you all know that Atikankan is a notorious place for criminals, drug, robbery.
“We went to Oja Oba, Bisi market, Sabo market and cleared the market and everything was normal. On the 10th of this month, we went to Atikankan for the same purpose, but when we got to the market, even after being warned about a month ago to vacate the place, some of them were bold enough to say they are not going, claiming they have C of O. They have rights, but government is the owner of every land. Even in the Bible, transgression of the law is a sin.
“Yesterday, my operatives went to see the compliance to the information, only to see they were prepared for us with stones, stickers and other offensives weapon. In the process, one of my operatives was cut deep on the arm, while another lost a tooth.
“We also heard gunshots. We didn’t go there to use force on anybody, but persuasion. Some of the hardened criminals staying there are the ones behind the resistance. They grabbed one of my operatives and took him to a place where he was locked.
“When it got to that level, I had no choice than to send people to rescue him and also call on the Nigeria Police Force and other Security agencies to come to our aid because Atikankan is notorious. If we had wanted to go there with force we would have known what to do, unfortunately we thought they would listen to our persuasion. ” Komolafe said .