Police arrest Osun park manager over ‘possession of ammunition’

The Osun police command says its operatives have arrested Wakili-Nurudeen Iyanda, head of the Osun State Park Management System (OSTMS). 

Iyanda, who is also known as Alowonle, was allegedly found with arms and ammunition belonging to the police.

Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, deputy police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the arrest to TheCable on Wednesday.

Giwa-Alade said detectives from the anti-kidnapping unit nabbed nine suspects on Ring road in Osogbo, following a tip-off.

“Despite resistance, the police successfully overwhelmed them, recovering a Barrett pistol, six 9mm live ammunition, and an expanded empty cell from Wakili’s unregistered Toyota Highlander,” he said.

“Nine suspects arrested, including Nurudeen Wakili in the first arrest at Ring road area, after meeting heavy resistance from Alowonle’s boys who reinforced. Four escaped including the said Alowonle.

“He was rearrested. All other exhibits in the case include; Hummer bus (AWK 480 YD), Nissan Almera (unregistered), Toyota Sienna (GNN 595 XD).”

The spokesperson said Alowonle “attempted escape with handcuffs, got maimed, was rearrested”.

He added that the suspect is receiving treatment at the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) teaching hospital.

However, Mikaela Popoola, OSTMS secretary, accused the police of attempted murder.

In a statement, Popoola  said its chairman was arrested over “domestic issues” and detained by the police.

“Our chairman was shot while in police custody under circumstances that demand a thorough investigation,” he said.

“We urge our members to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their hands.”

The OSTMS secretary added that the matter would be pursued through official channels.

‘HE WAS SHOT IN THE ABDOMEN’

In a statement, Kolapo Alimi, commissioner for information and public enlightenment in Osun, said there was an attempt on Alowonle’s life.

The statement demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Moses Lohor, head of the anti-kidnapping squad, for his “wilful act of attempted murder”.

“Alowonle is presently on life support at the Intensive Care Unit of the Osun State Teaching Hospital after a gunshot wound in the abdomen while in the custody of the police at Osogbo,” the statement reads.

“Video clips of Alowonle in handcuffs and under interrogation circulating in the media space dispelled any excuse that the park chairman was trying to escape.

“The fact that he was shot in the abdomen as video from his hospital bed confirmed proved that he was shot at close range with intent to eliminate him.”

Alimi said interactions between Samuel Ojo, special adviser to Ademola Adeleke, Osun governor; and Lohor showed that the “shooting of Alowonle was pre-planned, indicating a murder plot”.

“We also note that the issue that generated the purported arrest was a civil matter, not criminally related to have warranted the involvement of Mr Moses Lohor, the head of the Anti-Kidnapping squad except for the repeat of a recent pattern of police harassment of officials of the state government on partisan motivation,” the statement added.

“The programmed attempted murder of Mr Alowonle is just one in the series of shootings and attacks on officials of the state by the head of anti-kidnapping squad who regularly acted with impunity and who has not hidden his vow to eliminate supporters of the state government.

“As we summoned several meetings to calm frayed nerves today, we struggled hard to stop reprisal attacks against police establishments across the state due to what the public now see as police partisan conduct in breach of the law.”

The state government also asked Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser, and Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, to maintain peace in Osun ahead of the 2026 election.