The hunter has become the hunted in a dramatic twist of inter-agency rivalry as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrests three Amotekun operatives previously declared wanted by their own command.

This arrest is not merely a procedural detention; it exposes a fracturing hierarchy within Ondo State’s security architecture. Ekujimi Julius and two colleagues, suspended and branded "wanted" persons by the Amotekun leadership for the "misconduct" of demanding better service conditions, now find themselves in federal custody. The incident peels back the curtain on the deepening internal crisis plaguing the southwest’s regional security outfit, raising uncomfortable questions about labor rights for paramilitary officers and the opportunistic reach of federal agencies into state-level disputes.

A Mutiny Quelled by Proxy?

The sequence of events leading to these arrests reads like a punitive script. Days ago, the Amotekun command in Akure took the unprecedented step of publicly declaring Julius and his associates persona non grata. Their alleged crime was not corruption or brutality—charges often leveled against security personnel—but agitation for improved welfare. By categorizing their demand as "gross misconduct" and a breach of operational rules, the command effectively stripped them of their protection.

Enter the NDLEA. The involvement of the federal anti-narcotics agency adds a layer of complexity to the saga. While official details remain scant on whether the trio was found with illicit substances, sources suggest their arrest by a federal body conveniently serves the interests of the state command, silencing dissenters who had become a thorn in the side of the administration. This "handover" or "intervention" by federal agents into what appears to be an internal labor dispute signals a dangerous precedent for the paramilitary corps.

• The Welfare Crisis: Rank-and-file Amotekun officers have long grumbled about disparities in risk allowances and equipment, a tension that has now boiled over into open rebellion.
• Command Control: Corps Commander Adetunji Adeleye has maintained a zero-tolerance policy for what he terms "indiscipline," prioritizing the outfit's public image over internal cohesion.
• Federal Leverage: The NDLEA's involvement suggests that the suspended officers may have been tracked down using intelligence shared between the agencies, turning the security apparatus against its own foot soldiers.

The Silence of the State

The Ondo State government has remained conspicuously silent as this drama unfolds. For a security outfit established to protect the people from kidnapping and banditry, the spectacle of its own officers being hunted down for requesting better treatment is a morale-sapping blow. It erodes public confidence and suggests that the protectors are themselves vulnerable to systemic victimization.

As Julius and his colleagues languish in custody, likely facing charges that will obscure their original agitation, the message to other officers is chillingly clear: in the high-stakes world of regional security, demanding your rights is a crime akin to treason. The Amotekun was built to fight external aggressors, but today, its fiercest battle is happening within its own ranks.