Osun: CSO kicks as NURTW commends arrest of transport management chairman

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

A concerned civil society organisation in Osun State has condemned the shooting of the Chairman of the State Transport Management System, Wakili Nurudeen, popularly called Alowonle, by the police.

The group has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad leader, Moses Lohor, within one week.

Alowonle was reportedly shot by the police, who accused him of gunrunning, attempted murder, and malicious damage. However, the police claimed he was injured while attempting to evade arrest.

According to the group, failure to arrest and prosecute Lohor would force the youths to mobilise for another massive protest, describing the shooting as “unlawful and totally unacceptable.”

“The claim that Alowonle attempted to escape and was shot cannot hold water because the victim was shot in the abdomen. Common sense dictates that a suspect trying to escape will ordinarily have his back facing the police and not the other way around.

“If Lohor is not removed within a week, we will embark on a mass protest that may lead to another round of #EndBadGovernance,” the group said.

In a contrasting reaction, the State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kazeem Oyewale, commended the police for arresting Alowonle and urged them to ensure the apprehension of those responsible for the murder of NURTW members in November 2022.

In a statement issued by Oyewale on Wednesday, the union claimed that the arrest of Alowonle and the recovery of dangerous ammunition in his possession were clear indications of his intentions under his appointment by the state government.

Oyewale stated that the union does not condone criminal activities, asserting that only armed robbers, kidnappers, and assassins carry guns and ammunition.

He argued that since the firearm found in Alowonle’s possession is a service pistol designed for police use, he must explain how he obtained it.

“First of all, we want to state that Wakili Alowonle is an impostor. He is not a member of our union, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). He is merely an appointee of the state government imposed on the road workers.

“We are law-abiding citizens. We don’t move around with guns and ammunition. We believe only armed robbers, kidnappers, and assassins go around with guns and ammunition, as Alowonle was found to have done,” Oyewale said.