Oluwasegun Oluwarotimi, a commercial motorcyclist who was shot by an operative of the Ondo State Security Network, known as the Amotekun Corps, has died, four years after a protracted struggle for justice.
Oluwarotimi was critically injured on August 9, 2021, at Araromi Junction in Akure, when an Amotekun operative opened fire. The incident led to the amputation of one of his legs, leaving him permanently disabled and unable to continue his livelihood as a commercial rider. The injury plunged him into long-term financial hardship and medical complications, exacerbated by what his legal counsel described as institutional apathy.
According to Tope Temokun, Oluwarotimi’s lawyer, the late rider had won a N30 million compensation judgment at the Ondo State High Court on March 29, 2023. Justice Omolara Adejumo ruled in his favour, recognising the grievous harm he suffered. However, despite repeated demands for compliance, the Ondo State Government failed to honour the judgment.
“From the date of the High Court judgment until his death, the award remained unpaid,” Temokun said. “Segun lived like a beggar, suffering permanent disability, medical complications, and financial collapse, while the government continued litigation instead of showing empathy to a dying citizen.”
Temokun detailed a series of formal requests sent to successive administrations over two years. Letters were addressed to the former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the Attorney-General, and the current Governor, citing both the High Court judgment and the Court of Appeal’s November 19, 2024 ruling, which affirmed the original award. Despite these efforts, no compliance or meaningful response was received.
“Garnishee proceedings were initiated in December 2025 because voluntary compliance never came,” Temokun added. “Tragically, Segun died before we could see the end of it. Court can only be the last hope of the common man if the government is ready to respect its orders. Where the government is unwilling, there is no hope for the common man.”
Oluwarotimi’s death underscores concerns about accountability and the enforcement of court judgments against government institutions in Ondo State. It raises pressing questions about the treatment of citizens who suffer at the hands of security agencies and the government’s commitment to justice and human dignity.
