A police insider revealed that Afolabi was taken off the case after his probe reportedly began exposing the involvement of top political figures in the state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has removed Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi as Commissioner of Police in Ondo State after he launched a probe into a violent attack on peaceful June 12 protesters in Akure and granted an audience to human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.

Multiple police sources at the Force Headquarters in Abuja told SaharaReporters that Afolabi’s removal was triggered not only by his decision to investigate the June 12 incident but also by his willingness to entertain complaints lodged by Sowore and other activists.

A wireless police message dated June 24, 2025, confirmed that the IGP had approved the redeployment of Afolabi and two other senior officers. Afolabi has now been reassigned to the Department of Training and Development (DTD) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, where he will serve as Commissioner of Police, Administration—a non-operational role overseeing training and officer development.

He has been replaced in Ondo State by Adebowale Lawal, formerly the Commissioner of Police in charge of Quartermaster duties at the Force Headquarters.

A Controversial Removal

Sources within the Force revealed that Afolabi was removed after his probe began uncovering alleged links between the June 12 attack and top figures in the Ondo State government.

“His investigation began implicating the governor and his Chief Security Officer in sponsoring Gbenga Aluko, a known OPC operative with a violent background. That’s when the pressure to remove him intensified,” a senior police officer disclosed.

Another source added that the IGP was particularly displeased with Afolabi’s decision to formally meet with Sowore, who had led a delegation to the Ondo Police Command to report the assault and demand accountability.

“The IGP was livid that Afolabi granted Sowore audience instead of dispersing the protesters or shutting him out,” the source said. “A removal letter was even drafted initially but held back. Last week, the directive was revived, and Afolabi was taken out of Ondo officially.”

June 12 Attack: What Happened in Akure

The incident in question took place on June 12, Nigeria’s Democracy Day, when pro-democracy activists staged a peaceful march in Akure. The protest, which started around 7:30 a.m. at Cathedral Junction, was violently disrupted by thugs allegedly led by Gbenga Aluko, a politically connected figure with a record of violence.

Eyewitnesses said Aluko mobilised a gang of cultists and members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) to attack the demonstrators. The group assaulted protesters as police officers stood by without intervening, prompting suspicions of collusion.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate and national coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, narrowly escaped an attack during the chaos.

“We saw the thugs shouting and attacking people. They tried to attack me too. They had clearly marked me out,” Sowore said in a video statement. “The police stood by and watched. It was heartbreaking.”

Following the attack, Sowore and human rights lawyer Tope Temokun led a delegation to the Ondo State Police Command in Alagbaka, where they met with CP Afolabi. During the meeting, they formally demanded an investigation into the assault and the immediate arrest of those involved.

Afolabi, in response, assured the delegation that an investigation had commenced and action would be taken. He reportedly acknowledged internal recordings from the police operations unit and promised transparency.

Aluko’s Violent Record and Legal Reversal

Aluko, the alleged ringleader of the June 12 violence, has a long and controversial history. He was previously convicted by the Ekiti State High Court in September 2020 and sentenced to death by hanging for cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, and murder. He was linked to the Eiye Confraternity and found guilty of participating in the killings of rival cultists in Ekiti and Ondo states.

However, in March 2023, Aluko was acquitted and discharged by another court in Ado-Ekiti after presenting an alibi claiming he had renounced cultism and was not in the area during the alleged crime. The presiding judge accepted his defense and overturned the death sentence—a move that drew public criticism at the time.

Earlier this year, on January 7, 2025, Aluko allegedly led another attack in Akure’s Orita Merin Ayedun Adegbola community to install his brother as chairman of a youth forum. Despite his past, he remains active in local political circles and is said to be closely allied with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Police Crackdown or Political Retaliation?

Afolabi’s removal has stirred concerns within civil society, with activists suggesting it reflects a broader attempt to suppress accountability in politically motivated violence. While the police have cited administrative restructuring, sources say the reassignment effectively sidelines a commissioner who had shown signs of professional independence.

Sowore, addressing the situation, said: “In a country where people died fighting for democracy, it’s a disgrace that thugs have hijacked our streets with police support. The removal of CP Afolabi shows the state has no tolerance for truth or justice.”

As outrage builds over the police command’s handling of the June 12 incident and Afolabi’s controversial removal, civil society groups are calling for independent investigations and renewed protections for protest rights.

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