The Osun State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has thrown its weight behind the police following the arrest of Wakeel Nurudeen Iyanda Alowonle.
Alowonle, the Chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System, was apprehended by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Osun State Police Command late Monday.
He was reportedly shot in the stomach during the operation.
The NURTW, under the leadership of Kazeem Oyewale, distanced itself from Alowonle, describing him as an impostor and not a member of the union.
In a statement released in Osogbo on Wednesday, Oyewale accused Alowonle of being a political appointee of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Oyewale stressed that the NURTW is a law-abiding organization and does not condone criminal activities.
He alleged that Alowonle’s possession of dangerous weapons revealed his true intentions as a government appointee.
“The arrest of Alowonle and the recovered dangerous ammunition in his possession is a clear indication of what he was appointed for by the state government,” Oyewale said.
He called for a thorough investigation to uncover the source of the weapons found with Alowonle.
“The gun recovered is a service pistol designed for the police. Alowonle must be asked where he got it from,” he added.
The NURTW chairman alleged that Alowonle and his associates had been disrupting transport activities in the state for over two years.
He claimed that their actions had raised concerns about safety and lawlessness within the transport sector.
“We believe only armed robbers, kidnappers, and assassins go around with guns and ammunition as Alowonle was found to have done,” Oyewale said.
The union leader also urged the police to investigate officers who might have supplied Alowonle with weapons.
“The trending video shows it is a police gun. The police must find out which officer supplied him with the gun and ammunition,” he said.
Oyewale used the opportunity to remind the authorities about unresolved murders of NURTW members in 2022.
Seven members of the union were killed in November 2022, shortly after the inauguration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He alleged that Alowonle had been repeatedly linked to the killings.
“The killers of these innocent souls must face the full wrath of the law without further delay,” Oyewale stated.
He called on the police to ensure justice is served and to remove bad elements from their ranks.
“We don’t support crime in the NURTW because we believe only criminals support criminals,” he concluded.
