…Sustain gunshot injury

Osun State Police Command has arrested the Chairman of Osun State Park Management (OSPMS), Wakeel Nurudeen, popularly known as Alowonle, with arms and ammunition allegedly belonging to the police.

Alowonle was arrested by the anti-kidnapping unit of the Osun Police Command in Osogbo, in the wee hours of Monday night.

New Telegraph reports that Alowonle was appointed OPMS Chairman by the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke.

New Telegraph gathered from a security source that the OPMS Chairman was “accused of armed robbery, kidnapping, attempted murder, adding that he had “earlier fired gunshots on police before he was apprehended.”

A top security source told our Correspondent that he was arrested and handcuffed at the Ring Road area of Osogbo on Monday night while attempting to attack a resident who had written a petition against him.

It was gathered that Alowonle and his boys conveyed themselves in the Previa bus with Reg No: RBC 275XK but a distress call to the police led to his arrest.

However, his boys mobilised and aided his escape from police operatives.

The police source disclosed that during the arrest, a Barrett pistol six rounds of 9mm live ammunition and one expended empty shell were recovered from Alowonle’s private Toyota Highlander unregistered jeep.

When he attempted to escape again, he was maimed by the police shot. A hummer bus with Reg No. AWK 480YD, Nissan Almera unregistered and Toyota Sienna with Reg no. GNN 595 XD were also reportedly recovered from him.

The second spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, ASP Giwa Alade Emmanuel, while speaking with our Correspondent confirmed the arrest.

He said: “He was arrested in a case of unlawful possession of firearms, attempted murder, Malicious damage.
He was arrested in connection with those charges against him. CP directed that it should be transferred to the anti-kidnapping squad for discreet investigation. The case is still under investigation.”

Debunking the allegation that police intended to kill him, Emmanuel said, he has been taken to an hospital for treatment, saying “if truly they wanted to kill him, would they still take to the hospital for treatment? It’s not possible”

Reacting, The Osun State Park Management has called on its members to remain calm, urging them not to take the laws into their own hands.

OSPM State Secretary, Alhaji Mukaila Popoola, in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Osogbo, on Monday accused police of shooting their Chairman while in their custody.

OSTMS said its chairman was arrested over domestic issues and was taken into police custody.

“The Osun State Park Management System has announced the shooting in police custody of its State Chairman, Comrade Nurudeen Iyanda, in the wee hours of last night.

“Our chairman was shot at police custody under circumstances that call for thorough investigations.

“We call on our members not to take laws into their hands. We must maintain peace across the parks while we take the matter up with the appropriate authorities”.