…Force HQs wades in

By Shina Abubakar

FOLLOWING the arrest and shooting of the chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System, OSTMS, Nurudeen Wakili by operatives of the Anti-kidnapping squad, on Monday in Osogbo, the Police Force headquarters has taken over the investigation into the matter.

Wakili, popularly called Alowonle, was arrested following a petition of threat to life and malicious damage authored by one Alhaji Alowonle.

The suspect was said to have been shot by operatives of the Anti-kidnapping squad while trying to escape after a police pistol was found in his car.

Nurudeen was said to have escaped from police after his gang engaged the team in a shootout and was later re-arrested around the Oke-Baale area.

The police spokesperson, Yemi Alade-Giwa said he was maimed while attempting to escape again.

Reacting to the development, the secretary of OSTMS, Mr Mukaila Popoola and the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi alleged that the Anti-kidnapping squad attempted to kill Nurudeen over a reported domestic matter.

While the OSTMS alleged that Nurudeen was shot in police custody, the state government berated police over what it described as an “attempt to murder the park chairman”, on political motivation.

Police react

Speaking on the matter, yesterday, the Police spokesperson said the Inspector General of Police has taken over investigation into the matter, which has been transferred to Force headquarters.

Mr Alade-Giwa said: “The force headquarters has taken over the matter. The complaints of the state government, park management officials and the defence of the anti-kidnapping boss have been transferred to Abuja for further investigation.”

NURTW disowns suspect

However, the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the state, while commending the arrest of Nurudeen for alleged gun running, said the arrested suspect is not a member of the union but an appointee of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

NURTW, in a statement by its Chairman, Kazeem Oyewale said: “The arrest of Alowonle is a confirmation of our fears over the last 24 months when the state government brought him and other elements to disrupt transport activities in the state. We believe that with the arrest, the Police authority will do the right thing.”

Also, the spokesperson of concerned Civil Society Groups, Olanrewaju Stephen called for a thorough investigation into the shooting of Nurudeen, querying why he was not taken to court but decided to shoot him in the stomach.

Stephen 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 on innocent citizens.”