Tension In Ondo Amotekun As Officers Protest Unpaid Salaries

A deepening crisis has gripped the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as the Amotekun Corps, as officers have accused the leadership of neglect, favouritism, and poor welfare conditions.

The officers, frustrated by months of unpaid salaries and alleged injustice in promotions, have petitioned the state government demanding immediate reforms.

In their petition, representatives from the three senatorial districts — Abu Taiwo (North), Akinsipe Victor Temitope (Central), and Ekujumi Julnus (South) — urged the state government to address what they described as systemic inequality and mismanagement within the corps. They said morale among personnel had dropped due to years of neglect and unequal treatment.

The officers complained that only the Corps Commander enjoys formal employment recognition from the state, while others have been working without appointment letters or inclusion in the official payroll.

They demanded that all officers be formally recognised as state employees, arguing that such action would restore confidence and loyalty in their service to Ondo State.

They also demanded payment of outstanding allowances and three months of delayed salaries, calling for compensation for the long delay. According to the petition, the leadership has failed to uphold fairness in promotions and postings, rewarding some with multiple promotions within a short period while others remain stagnant.

The officers pointed to cases like that of the Head of Operations, Ejalonibu Olalekan, who they claim received several promotions within a year, while others with better qualifications were left behind. They said this practice had caused resentment and frustration among rank-and-file officers, making it harder to maintain unity and discipline within the corps.

In addition, they called for the reinstatement of dismissed officers, including Ojo Adeyeye and Aina Sunday, and demanded that all outstanding entitlements be paid. They also asked that promotions be based on merit, educational qualifications, and experience rather than personal connections or favoritism.

The officers further accused the management of mismanaging the Amotekun Cooperative Society. They alleged that 11% deductions from thrift contributions were illegal and that the cooperative had operated without transparency for years. They demanded that the financial records of the cooperative be made public and that members receive their long-overdue dividends.

The petition also included calls for the investigation and suspension of the Head of Operations over alleged misconduct, as well as the payment of transfer allowances to personnel deployed to other local government areas. The officers asked the state to create a proper code of conduct, establish pension and gratuity schemes, and implement a credible health insurance program for members.

They described the current insurance system as deceptive, claiming that the supposed National Health Insurance Scheme provides little support and only minimal death benefits for families of deceased officers. They said their agitation was not to undermine the corps’ leadership but to restore fairness, structure, and dignity to their work.

As of the time of filing this report, the Ondo State government and the Commander of the Amotekun Corps had not responded to the growing unrest or addressed the demands raised by the officers in their petition.