Blessing Bello, Reporting
THE Osun State Police Command has declared the former state chairman of the National Union of Road Transportation Workers (NURTW), Nurudeen Wakili, popularly known as Alowonle, and one Olayemi Ojo, alias Sibi, wanted in connection with the alleged murder of Olalekan Oyeyemi, a close ally of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Mr Oyeyemi, who was widely known as Emir, was reportedly shot dead by suspected hoodlums following a peace meeting at Mayfair Motor Park in Ile-Ife. The meeting had been convened to resolve a dispute over the control and leadership of the motor park.
The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, paraded six suspects on Monday in connection with the killing.
They include four operatives of the Amotekun security corps — Tijani Ismail, Akinsola Ekundayo, Sijuwade Moruf Oyinlola and Ayeni Adegbola Olalekan — as well as two NURTW executives: Waliu Adejare, alias Jay Jay, chairman of Aregbe Park, and Hammed Olalekan Dauda, alias Jagaban, secretary of the park loyal to Mr Wakili.
Addressing journalists, Mr Zungura said the command received a distress call on 13 September reporting that armed men had stormed Mayfair Garage, Ile-Ife, and fired sporadically, resulting in Mr Oyeyemi’s death. He added that a fatal motor accident was also reported at a filling station along the Ile-Ife–Ibadan Road.
“I directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to take charge of the case and ensure a thorough investigation. Through sustained investigative efforts by the Homicide Section, four suspects were arrested in connection with the crime, with the assistance of the Amotekun Commandant,” the commissioner said.
He disclosed that during interrogation, Jagaban confessed that the firearm used in the attack was given to him by Mr Wakili. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Jay Jay, said to be a personal assistant to the former NURTW chairman.
“All the suspects were mobilised by Nurudeen Alowonle and Adeyemi Ojo, aka Sibi,” Mr Zungura added.
The police chief declared that Mr Wakili and Mr Ojo were now wanted, while the command was intensifying efforts to apprehend other suspects still at large who are alleged to have taken part in the crime.
One of the detained Amotekun operatives, Mr Oyinlola, confirmed that they had been mobilised to the park by Mr Wakili. He claimed, however, that they fled after gunshots rang out.
“We were at the park when some boys arrived while waiting for Alowonle. They started shooting and we ran with our bus, which eventually had an accident metres away,” he said.
The police have urged members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the fleeing suspects to come forward as investigations continue.
