By Divine Sam
The Osun State Government has accused the police of attempting to murder Iyanda Alowonle, the Chairman of the Osun Transport Management System, during his detention by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Osun State Police Command. Alowonle was arrested on charges related to possessing a police-issued pistol and ammunition. However, the state government claims the incident was related to a domestic matter and not a criminal one.
According to the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, Alowonle was shot in the abdomen at close range while in police custody and is now on life support at the Osun State Teaching Hospital. Videos circulating show Alowonle handcuffed and under interrogation, disputing the police’s claim that he tried to escape. The state government alleges that the shooting was premeditated, part of a series of attacks on state officials by Moses Lohor, the Head of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, who is accused of repeatedly harassing state government officials for partisan reasons.
The government is calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Lohor, and it also urged the Inspector General of Police and the National Security Adviser to address the situation and prevent further violence in the state, particularly in the run-up to the 2026 elections.