Osun police declare ex-NURTW chief wanted over killing of Adeleke’s ally

The Osun State Police Command has declared Nurudeen Alowonle, a factional chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), wanted over the killing of Accord Party chief, Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir, in Ile-Ife.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, announced this on Monday during a briefing after parading suspects arrested for various crimes at the command’s headquarters in Osogbo.

Mr Zungura said six people had been arrested in connection with the 13 September killing of Mr Oyeyemi at Mayfair Motor Park, Ile-Ife.

He added that police operatives are working to apprehend Mr Alowonle and another NURTW figure, Ojo Adeyemii, popularly known as Sibi in connection with the incident.

According to the police, investigations indicated that the arrested suspects were allegedly mobilised by the two men to carry out the killing.

“Alowonle is declared wanted. The Command is intensifying efforts to apprehend Nurudeen Alowonle, Adeyemi Ojo, aka Sibi, and other suspects currently at large who are alleged to have participated in the heinous crime,” Mr Zungura said

Among those arrested is Hammed Olalekan Dauda, also known as Jagaban, whom the police said was found with a cut-to-size firearm. The command said Mr Dauda allegedly confessed during interrogation that Mr Alowonle gave him the weapon.

“During interrogation, he (Dauda) reportedly confessed that the firearm was given to him by one Nurudeen Alowonle,” he said. “All the suspects were mobilised by Nurudeen Alowonle and Adeyemi Ojo aka Sibi.”

The police also arrested Waliyu Adejare, known as Jay Jay, who was identified as Mr Alowonle’s personal assistant.

The other suspects named by the police are Tijani Ismail, Akinsola Ekundayo, Sijuade Moruf and Ayeni Adegbola. Four of the six arrested suspects are operatives of the Osun Amotekun Corps, according to the police.

Killing triggers Osun park management system

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Oyeyemi, an Accord Party chief and political associate of Governor Ademola Adeleke, was shot dead at Mayfair Motor Park on 13 September amid a dispute linked to control of motor parks in Osun.

Following the killing, Mr Adeleke ordered the suspension of NURTW activities across the state, directed rival groups to vacate motor parks and instructed security agencies to arrest those allegedly involved.

The governor also announced plans to reintroduce a Park Management System to regulate the management of parks and garages in the state. He said there would be “no sacred cows” and that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.

On 5 October, the governor signed the state’s Integrated Transport, Traffic and Park Management System Bill 2026 into law after legislative backing by the Osun State House of Assembly.

However, the bill was characterised by a constitutional dispute between the state government and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.

The party called for the withdrawal of the legislation, describing it as unconstitutional and unenforceable.

The party based its objection principally on Section 7(1) of and the Fourth Schedule of the constitution, which it argued, meant that the regulation and revenue collection associated with public motor parks belong to democratically elected local government councils, rather than the state government.

But both the Osun State Government and the state lawmakers rejected APC’s arguments. They said the party misunderstood the constitutional relationship between state governments and local government councils.

The House of Assembly argued that the cited Section 7(1) of the constitution, while guaranteeing the system of democratically elected local government councils, also provides that state governments shall ensure their existence under laws providing for their establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions.

Local governments have been enmeshed in crisis and chaos in the state since 2022 when Governor Adeleke took office and sacked local government chairmen inheritted from the previous administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, citing a court order.