Osogbo, the capital of Osun State was embroiled in chaos on Tuesday following the shooting of the chairman of the State Park Management System, Nurudeen Iyanda, popularly known as Alowonle, by the police while in custody.
Alowonle’s associate, Mukaila Popoola, alleged that the chairman was shot in the early hours of Tuesday after being arrested over a domestic issue.
In a statement issued on the incident, the acting Police Public Relations Officer for the Osun Command, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, claimed that Iyanda was shot while trying to escape from custody.
Giwa-Alade explained that Iyanda had initially been arrested alongside some associates on Monday over allegations of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms, and malicious damage.
According to him, the police received a petition against Alowonle, where he was accused of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms and malicious damage, adding that the petition was submitted to the Commissioner of Police and referred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for investigation.
Acting on credible intelligence, Giwa-Alade said police operatives moved to Ring Road, Osogbo, where the suspect and his cohorts were reportedly planning to attack the complainant, saying that on sighting the police, the suspects opened fire but were eventually subdued.
“Nine suspects, including Alowonle, were arrested at the scene. However, as they were being transported, supporters of the suspect ambushed the police, forcibly rescuing him and four others, who all escaped while still in handcuffs,” he said.
Giwa-Alade further disclosed that the police traced the suspects to a hideout in the Suzzy area of Oke Baale, Osogbo, where Iyanda was rearrested.
“During a search of his vehicle, a Barrett pistol, six rounds of 9mm live ammunition, and an expanded empty shell were recovered. He made another attempt to escape during the search but was subdued and shot in the process. He is currently receiving treatment and is responding well,” he added.
In response to rising tensions, soldiers were deployed to the Ilesa Garage area of Osogbo to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Armed soldiers stationed at the motor park have restricted activities in the area, temporarily halting passenger boarding.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government has raised alarm over what it described as “the shooting to near death in police custody of the Chairman of Osun Transport Management System, Iyanda Alowonle, over a domestic matter.”
A statement by Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment in the state, on Tuesday night disclosed that “Alowonle is presently on life support at the Intensive Care Unit of the Osun State Teaching Hospital after a gunshot wound in the abdomen while in the custody of the police at Osogbo.”
“Video clips of Alowonle in handcuffs and under interrogation circulating in the media space dispelled any excuse that the park chairman was trying to escape. The fact that he was shot in the abdomen as video from his hospital bed confirmed proved that he was shot at close range with intent to eliminate him,” Alimi argued.
He added that “Interactions between the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the State Governor, Mr Samuel Ojo, and the Head of Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Moses Lohor provided direct proof that the incident was premeditated to murder Mr Alowonle.
“We also note that the issue that generated the purported arrest was a civil matter, not criminally related to have warranted the involvement of Mr Moses Lohor, the head of the Anti-Kidnapping squad except for the repeat of a recent pattern of police harassment of officials of the state government on partisan motivation.
“The programmed attempted murder of Mr Alowonle is just one in the series of shootings and attacks on officials of the state by the head of anti-kidnapping squad who regularly acted with impunity and who has not hidden his vow to eliminate supporters of the state government.
“As we summoned several meetings to calm frayed nerves today, we struggled hard to stop reprisal attacks against police establishments across the state due to what the public now see as police partisan conduct in breach of the law,” the commissioner stated.
He claimed law enforcers are becoming a threat to peace and stability of the state, and demanded that the Inspector General of Police and the National Security Adviser “take judicious note of the increasing breach of state peace by the hostile conduct of some police officers who now shot at innocent civilians and suspects at will.”
“We call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr Moses Lohor, the Head of the Anti- Kidnapping Squad, for his wilful act of attempted murder. We demand police impartiality and commitment to rule of law without fixation on partisan considerations,” Alimi said.
