Police Declare NURTW Chairman Wanted

The Osun State Police Command has declared Nurudeen Alowonle, a factional chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), wanted in connection with the killing of Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, disclosed this on Monday while presenting suspects arrested for various offences at the command headquarters in Osogbo.

Zungura said six suspects had been arrested over Emir’s killing on September 13 at a motor park in Ile-Ife. Those in custody reportedly include Alowonle’s personal assistant and an operative of the Amotekun Corps.

The police commissioner said efforts were ongoing to arrest Alowonle and another NURTW chief, Ojo Adeyemi, popularly known as Sibi, over their alleged involvement in the incident.

According to him, preliminary investigations and statements obtained from some suspects indicated that they had allegedly been mobilised by Alowonle and Adeyemi to carry out the killing.

The suspects arrested were identified as Tijani Ismail, Akinsola Ekundayo, Sijuade Moruf, Ayeni Adegbola, Hammed Dada and Waliyu Adejare.

Zungura said investigations led to the arrest of Hammed Olalekan Dauda, also known as Jagaban, who was allegedly linked to the crime and found with a locally made, cut-to-size firearm.

He added that Dauda reportedly told investigators that Alowonle had given him the weapon. Police subsequently arrested Waliyu Adejare, also known as Jay Jay, who serves as Alowonle’s personal assistant, in connection with the case.

The commissioner reiterated that Alowonle, Adeyemi and other suspects still at large were wanted as investigations continued.

In a separate case, the police arrested six people over an alleged robbery involving a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle along the Ile-Ife–Ibadan Expressway.

The suspects were identified as Olaiya Sunday, 27; Akintunde Mariam, 28; Agoro Kudus, 27; Timileyin Idowu, 23; Adekunle Ibrahim, 30; and Temitope Opeyemi, 29.

Zungura said the suspects allegedly robbed a commuter of the motorcycle, adding that five mobile phones had been recovered as exhibits. He also said the suspects had confessed to the offence.

The police commissioner further announced the arrest of Oniyefa Olayemi in connection with the killing of four people during a violent clash between rival groups at Alapa Village, Toro Road, Ile-Ife.

The victims were identified as Toyin Olagbaju, Emmanuel Agunbiade, Akeem and Ademola, popularly known as Small.

Zungura said the incident was reported on October 5, 2026, at about 8.30am, after a resident of Odo Ogbe, Ile-Ife, informed the police that armed men had invaded Alapa Village between October 4 and 5, firing shots and killing his 40-year-old mother, Toyin Olagbaju.

He said detectives from the homicide section launched an investigation into the killings.

Preliminary findings, according to the commissioner, suggested that two rival groups were involved in a dispute over control of a large cocoa farm in Alapa Village. The groups were allegedly led by Awosunle Tosin, who remains at large, and Emmanuel Agunbiade, also known as Abore.

The confrontation reportedly resulted in multiple casualties. Olayemi was arrested and was assisting investigators, while detectives found evidence indicating that different firearms and ammunition had been used during the clash.

Items recovered at the scene included two Dane guns, a small axe, 11 spent cartridges, one live cartridge, three empty AK-47 ammunition shells, three empty LAR rifle ammunition shells, an empty assault rifle ammunition shell and locally made charms.

Zungura assured residents that the command would continue efforts to tackle crime across the state and urged the public to cooperate with security agencies.

The Osun Amotekun Corps had earlier disclosed that it handed over four operatives to the police to assist with investigations into Emir’s killing.