The Osun State Government has revealed that the Asset Recovery Committee has commenced the retrieval of state assets allegedly carted away illegally by top officials of the Adegboyega Oyetola administration. This revelation was made in a statement by Kolapo Alimi, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, on Tuesday.
The statement also disclosed that the Committee, under the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, began field operations on Monday in compliance with legal requirements and its mandate.
The government’s statement follows claims by former Amotekun Osun Field Commander Amitolu Shittu of an invasion of his home by thugs loyal to the state governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Alimi said, “In an effort to carry out its mandate, the task force visited the residence of the immediate past Osun Amotekun Field Commander, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, in the early hours of Monday, July 29, 2024, recovering three vehicles illegally possessed by him.
“It should be noted that the operation conducted at Amitolu’s residence was a lawful and necessary measure to retrieve vehicles and assets unlawfully retained by him from his tenure as the Osun Amotekun Field Commander.
“During his term, Amitolu was known to have illegally possessed several vehicles that belonged to the government, which had not been returned despite repeated requests.
“It is important to note that the operation was conducted in accordance with legal protocols and was intended to recover these assets for the benefit of the state. The involvement of the Osun Security Joint Task Force (JTF) and Amotekun Corps was part of a coordinated effort to ensure the recovery process was handled efficiently and securely.
“Amitolu’s claim that the exercise was a violation of privacy and an act of political persecution is a smokescreen to divert attention from his own legal and ethical breaches. His assertions that the operation was a premeditated attempt to silence him are baseless and reflect his attempt to politicize a straightforward asset recovery process.
“Moreover, the vehicles in question were clearly documented as state property, and there is substantial evidence to support their recovery. Amitolu’s challenge to provide documents and his threat to seek legal redress are attempts to obfuscate the clear facts and delay justice.
“The government’s actions were fully justified, and the call for scrutiny by security agencies should be directed towards ensuring transparency in all operations, including those involving Amitolu’s activities.
“This recovery effort is part of a broader commitment to accountability and good governance, which the state administration remains dedicated to upholding.”
Meanwhile, Amitolu Shittu, who said that some government officials had conspired against him regarding asset recovery in the state for reasons unknown to him, described the act as barbaric and a flagrant violation of his human rights.
“The Secretary to the State Government and some cohorts carried out the onslaught as alleged. The incident was premeditatedly carried out by Omoyele, with a target to permanently silence me from exposing some issues in the current administration.”
He insisted that it was Governor Adeleke who sent them to his house due to his sincerity of purpose in his actions.
“It is unfortunate that a government known for failure is still targeting people within the state. I have been waiting for this day. I am not surprised; I was expecting them last week, but they did not come.”
The former Amotekun field commander further said he received information about the raid and alerted those who were supposed to be informed.
“Some vehicles were taken away, which I will challenge in court to provide the documents for such vehicles. I thank God they did not accuse me of stealing the vehicles. They did all the auditing and finances, but nothing was traced to me.”
Shittu, however, called on agencies to take note of the onslaught against him and urged for a thorough investigation to uncover the perpetrators.