Police transfer Osun transport boss shooting probe to Abuja

The Osun State Police Command said further investigations into what transpired between the Officer-in-Charge of its Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Moses Lohor, and the Chairman, Park Management System in the state, Mr. Iyanda Alowonle, which led to him being shot, would be handled by the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

PUNCH Metro had gathered that members of the park withdrew their services across the state, on Wednesday, to protest the alleged shooting of its chairman, Alowonle, leaving many commuters stranded.

The Secretary of the OSPMS, Mukaila Popoola, had on Tuesday, alleged that Alowonle was shot in the custody of the police after he was arrested following a complaint against him.

But the acting Police Public Relations Officer, Osun Command, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, said Alowonle was maimed while attempting to escape arrest after he was allegedly caught with firearms by the police.

Speaking to PUNCH Metro, 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.”

In a related development, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for peace to allow the authorities to investigate and deliver justice on the shooting of Alowonle.

A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said Adeleke particularly pleaded with transport workers statewide not to take the law into their hands and allow state and federal authorities to address the issue.

Rasheed also said Adeleke had spoken to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and that immediate actions had been directed by the police authorities to bring to book those who shot the State Park Management System chairman.

“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.

A civil society group, Concerned Osun Civil Society Groups, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure a thorough investigation of the activities of the anti-kidnapping unit and its officer-in-charge, Lohor, over alleged human right abuses.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the group, Stephen Olanrewaju, said the shooting of Alowonle had made it necessary for the IG to launch a probe.

Olanrewaju said before Alowonle’s shooting, there had been widespread allegations of high-handedness, indiscriminate arrests, extortion, and unannounced killings perpetrated allegedly by the anti-kidnapping unit of the Osun State Police Command.

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.”

Meanwhile, the Osun State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mr. Kazeem Oyewale, has commended the police for the arrest of Alowonle.

Oyewale, in a statement, also implored the police and other security operatives to fish out the killers of the NURTW’s members in November 2022 by yet-to-identified criminals.

“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.