By John Dike, Osogbo
It was a quiet Saturday evening in Ijeda, a serene town nestling within the heart of Ijesa land.
The sun had just begun to dip beyond the hills, casting golden rays over the red earth and tranquil rooftops — unaware that the streets were about to run red with the blood of a patriot.
At approximately 5:45 p.m., an incident occurred that has since shattered the peace, inflamed public outrage, and shaken the very foundation of inter-agency cooperation in Osun State:.
An officer of the Amotekun Corps, 35-year-old Peter Samuel Tope, was savagely and deliberately murdered — not by bandits or terrorists in but allegedly by a soldier.
What should have been a normal patrol evening turned into a horrific spectacle of betrayal and brutality.
According to multiple eyewitness accounts, the suspect, believed to be a freshly commissioned recruit in the Nigerian Army, launched a premeditated, cold-blooded attack on Officer Tope, a man known for his quiet resolve, community service, and fearlessness in the line of duty.
Earlier that fateful day, the suspect, dressed in full military camouflage and exuding a strange air of hostility, had allegedly made his way to the Amotekun base in Ijebu-Jesa. But he did not come in peace.
“He told us straight to our faces that part of his reason for joining the military was to ‘deal with Amotekun operatives,’” a visibly shaken Amotekun officer recounted. “He wasn’t joking. He was looking for blood.” Within hours of issuing that sinister threat, he struck.
It was gathered that Officer Tope (now) the deceased rode his motorcycle through Ijeda, likely unaware of what awaited him, the soldier and a small band of unknown accomplices allegedly intercepted him.
Eyewitnesses said it was a coordinated ambush, targeting a man who was not only unarmed but unsuspecting.
What followed was a barbaric assault. Officer Tope was pulled from his motorcycle and beaten mercilessly with a blunt object. Some say it was a metal rod, others say a thick wooden plank. The attackers allegedly focused their blows on his head, rendering him unconscious and spilling his blood on the soil he swore to protect.
For nearly 20 harrowing minutes, the assault continued unchecked. Cries for help rang out, but no one dared intervene.
By the time his fellow Amotekun officers arrived, the attackers had vanished into the shadows, fleeing the scene on a commercial motorcycle like hired assassins in a horror film.
In a desperate bid to save his life, Officer Tope was rushed to Wesley Hospital in Ilesa, his body battered, limp, and bloodied.
Medical personnel battled through the night to stabilize him, but the trauma was too severe. He succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Sunday morning.
His death left not just his colleagues, but an entire community, shattered.
“Tope was a brother, a protector, and a man of peace,” said Corps Commander, Dr. Adekunle Omoyele, his voice heavy with emotion. “He didn’t deserve this. No officer does.”
The Amotekun Corps has since lodged a formal report with the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ijebu-Jesa and notified Lt. Col. Yunusa Isyaku, the commanding officer of the Nigerian Army Engineering Cantonment in Ede.
The incident has triggered an avalanche of condemnation across Osun State. From Ijeda to Ilesa, from market stalls to royal palaces, a singular demand rings out: justice for Tope.
Civil society organizations, traditional leaders, youth groups, and religious institutions have all spoken out, demanding not only the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator but a complete review of inter-agency protocols.
“This was not just an attack on Amotekun. It was an attack on justice, on cooperation, on peace,” said a local monarch.
“If soldiers can kill local officers with impunity, then no one is safe?
“This is tragic, how can a soldier who swore an oath to protect the integrity of the nation and community decide to harm another security officer that also swore the same oath. Where is the slogan” Espirit De Corp mentally ?”
Many fear that the brazenness of the attack — and the identity of the attacker — could ignite a dangerous rift between the Army and Amotekun, two forces meant to work side by side in the fight against insecurity.
Peter Samuel Tope is survived by his wife and two young children. He was known as a dedicated father, a disciplined officer, and a symbol of community resilience.
On Sunday evening, candles were lit in front of the Amotekun office in Ilesa as mourners gathered, some singing, others weeping. The Osun State flag flew at half-mast at several local government secretariats.
While the Osun Amotekun Corps has vowed to follow the case to its logical end, many are watching to see whether the Nigerian Army will cooperate fully in handing over the suspect and ensuring that justice is not only promised, but delivered.
Commander Omoyele called for restraint, urging the public not to resort to revenge or protest, but to trust the system — even as that system has failed a dutiful officer.
“We will not forget. We will not forgive until justice is served. And we will not rest until the memory of Officer Tope is honoured the way he lived — with courage, truth, and sacrifice.”
“I can assure you that justice must be done. The culprit must be brought to face the full weight of the law. Amotekun have always been in the confine of its core mandate in protecting the lives of the citizens. The deceased was a very committed and hardworking officer and did not deserve this unfortunate death.*
As Osun mourns the loss of one of its bravest, a deeper question lingers: What does it mean when those meant to protect us become the source of our terror?
Until that question is answered with action, Officer Peter Samuel Tope will not rest — and neither will the people of Osun.
Some of the residents who spoke to our correspondent under the condition of anonymity said the deceased died in uniform while protecting his community.
“The deceased Amotekun Corps officer died at the hands of someone who swore the same oath. This is very tragic incident. Where is the the popular slogan espirit de corp being prophesied among the security agencies?”
They, however called on the relevant security agsncies to ensure that justices is done by bringing the culprit to face the full weight of the Law just as they suggest that heads of security agancies should help to organize a seminar that will focus on inter- agencies cooperation.
