The Osun State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, led by Kazeem Oyewale, has backed the Police over the arrest of Wakeel Nurudeen Iyanda Alowonle.
Alowonle, the Chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System, was arrested and shot on the stomach by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Osun State Police Command late on Monday.
Oyewale, who cleared the air that members of the union were law-abiding citizens and not criminals, implored the Police and other security operatives to fish out the killers of NURTW members murdered in November 2022 by unknown persons.
In a statement released on Wednesday in Osogbo, the Osun NURTW chairman described Alowonle as an impostor and mere political appointee of the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke.
Oyewale also disowned Alowonle and his group, saying they are not members of the NURTW in the state, noting that the alleged criminal conduct.
According to him, Alowonle’s alleged criminal conduct was against the union’s principles and ideals.
“The arrest of Alowonle and the recovered dangerous ammunition in his possession were clear indication of what he was appointed for by the state government.
“The apprehension of Alowonle by the Police is a confirmation of the fears of the Union over the last 24 months, when the state government brought him and other criminal elements to disrupt transport activities in the state.
“The gun is a service pistol designed for the police. Alowonle must be asked where he came about it?
“On the arrest of a notorious Nurudeen Wakili Alowonle, a self-appointed Leader of the road transport workers in Osun State, who was found with guns and ammunition on Monday, 18th Day of November, 2024.
“First of all, we want to state that Wakili Alowonle is an impostor. He is not a member of our Union, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). He is a mere appointee of the state government imposed on the road workers.
“We are law abiding citizens. We don’t move around with guns and ammunition. We believe only armed robbers, kidnappers and assassins go around with guns and ammunition as Alowonle was found to have done.
“The arrest of Alowonle is a confirmation of our fears over the last 24 months, when the state government brought him and other criminal elements to disrupt transport activities in the state and we believe that with the arrest, the Police authority will do the right thing by fishing out the bad eggs in the Police who Alowonle said they supplied him with guns and ammunition.
“The trending video shows it is a police gun and it is important to find the source. Since the gun is a service pistol for the police, he must be asked where he came about it? The Police must find out which policeman supplied him the gun and ammunition.
“We also want to use this medium to appeal to the Police to fish out killers of 7 members of our Union killed in November 2022 immediately after the inauguration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as Osun State Governor, among whom Wakili Alowonle, has been severally mentioned. The killers of these innocent souls must face the full wrath of the law without further delay.
“We don’t support crime in the NURTW because we believe only criminals support criminals,” the statement said.
Alleged gun running: Osun NURTW hails Police over Alowonle’s arrest