POLICE MOVE OSUN TRANSPORT BOSS SHOOTING PROBE TO ABUJA
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The Osun State Police Command stated that the Force Headquarters in Abuja would conduct additional inquiries into the events that led to the shooting of Mr. Iyanda Alowonle, the state’s Park Management System Chairman, and Moses Lohor, the officer-in-charge of its Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
Many commuters were left stranded as park employees suspended their services around the state on Wednesday in protest over the alleged shooting of its chairman, Alowonle.
Mukaila Popoola, the OSPMS secretary, claimed on Tuesday that Alowonle was shot while in police custody after being detained in response to a complaint.
However, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, the acting Police Public Relations Officer for Osun Command, said that Alowonle was injured while trying to flee after the police allegedly found him in possession of firearms.
On Wednesday, Giwa-Alade said, “The matter has been transferred to Abuja for further investigation. The officer involved will be investigated, and the state government’s claim will also be probed.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the OSTMS, Popoola, who confirmed to our correspondent that the group withdrew commercial vehicles across the state in protest of the shooting of its chairman, said Alowonle was responding to treatment at the hospital.
Popoola further said, “Help us tell the Osun people that we withdrew our vehicles to protest the shooting of our chairman by the police while he was in their custody. We have told our people to remain law-abiding and avoid engaging in unlawful acts.
“Our chairman is out of danger. He is responding to treatment. We are hoping he will recover soon.”
Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, has also asked for peace so that the authorities can look into the shooting of Alowonle and bring about justice.
Adeleke specifically begged transport workers throughout the state not to break the law and to let state and federal authorities handle the matter, according to a statement made by the governor’s spokeswoman, Olawale Rasheed.
Rasheed added that Adeleke had communicated with Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, and that the police authorities had ordered prompt action to hold the gunmen accountable for the State Park Management System chairman’s shooting.
“I call on Osun transport workers to maintain peace and not to take the law into their own hands. I have acted on this sad incident. I spoke with the police chief and had a closed-door meeting with the Commissioner of Police. Justice will be served.
“We will not allow agents of violence to destroy the peace and stability of our dear state. Do not be provoked to violence. Go about your normal duties while we handle this serious threat to the peace of our state”, the governor was quoted as saying,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.
Concerned Osun Civil Society Groups, a civil society organization, has urged Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, to guarantee a comprehensive examination of the anti-kidnapping unit’s and its officer-in-charge Lohor’s operations regarding suspected violations of human rights.
Stephen Olanrewaju, the group’s spokesperson, told reporters in Osogbo on Wednesday that the IG had to start an investigation because of Alowonle’s shooting.
According to Olanrewaju, there had been several claims of extortion, indiscriminate arrests, high-handedness, and unexpected deaths committed by the Osun State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping squad before to Alowonle’s shooting.
He further said, “We demand the urgent intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, in the thorough investigation of the matter and dispensation of justice to erring officers, especially OC of the anti-kidnapping unit, SP Moses Lohor, whose leadership has been filled with cases of attacks of innocent citizens.”
Kazeem Oyewale, the National Union of Road Transport Workers’ chairman for Osun State, has praised the police for apprehending Alowonle.
In a statement, Oyewale also pleaded with law enforcement and other security personnel to find the assailants who killed NURTW members in November 2022.
“We also want to use this medium to appeal to the police to fish out killers of the seven members of our union in November 2022 immediately after the inauguration of Ademola Adeleke as Osun State Governor… The killers of these innocent lives must face the full wrath of the law without further delay,” Oyewale said.8.
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