Osun police declare former NURTW leaders Alowonle and Sibi wanted over Emir’s murder in Ile-Ife, arrest six suspects and probe separate crimes.
The Osun State Police Command has declared two former chieftains of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Wakili Nurudeen, popularly known as Alowonle, and Olayemi Ojo, alias Sibi, wanted in connection with the killing of Dauda Oyeyemi, better known as Emir.
The declaration followed investigations into the fatal shooting of Emir at Mayfair Motor Park in Ile-Ife, where masked gunmen reportedly attacked him on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
The incident occurred amid a reported leadership dispute within the transport union, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding the violence and the alleged involvement of individuals connected to the rival factions.
Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, announced the development on Monday during a briefing at the command headquarters in Osogbo. He also paraded six other suspects arrested in connection with the murder.
Zungura said the command had intensified its investigation to identify those responsible for the killing and establish the roles allegedly played by individuals linked to the incident.
Police arrest two NURTW members, four Amotekun operatives
According to the commissioner, detectives attached to the police homicide section made progress in the investigation, leading to the arrest of two NURTW members.
The suspects were identified as Waliu Adejare, popularly known as Jay Jay, chairman of Aregbe Park in Osogbo, and Hammed Dauda, also called Jagaban, who serves as the park’s secretary.
Four personnel of the Osun State Security Network Agency, commonly known as Amotekun, were also arrested as investigators sought to establish the circumstances surrounding Emir’s death.
They were named as Tijani Ismail, Akinsola Ekundayo, Sijuade Moruf and Ayeni Adegbola.
The police commissioner said the arrests followed investigative efforts supported by the state commandant of the Amotekun Corps.
He disclosed that Hammed Dauda allegedly told investigators that a cut-to-size firearm recovered from him had been given to him by Alowonle.
Zungura further alleged that the four Amotekun personnel had been assigned to provide security for the former NURTW chairman.
The commissioner added that subsequent inquiries led to Adejare’s arrest, while investigators suspected that Alowonle and Ojo had mobilised the individuals allegedly connected to the incident.
However, the allegations against the suspects have not been established in court, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Wanted former union leaders sought over killing
Announcing the decision to declare Alowonle and Sibi wanted, Zungura said the police would continue working with other security agencies to uncover the circumstances surrounding the killing.
The command is seeking to locate the two men as investigators pursue further information about the shooting at Mayfair Motor Park.
The police have not announced the conclusion of the investigation, and the declaration does not, by itself, establish the guilt of either wanted individual.
Authorities are expected to examine the available evidence, establish the sequence of events leading to Emir’s death and determine whether additional individuals were involved.
The case has drawn attention to the reported dispute within the NURTW, although the precise circumstances and individual responsibilities must be established through the ongoing investigation.
Amotekun operative describes events before shooting
One of the arrested security personnel, Sijuade Moruf, offered his account of the events that allegedly unfolded on the day of the killing.
Speaking during the police briefing, Moruf claimed that Alowonle had directed his team to travel to Ile-Ife, where they were expected to meet at a motor park.
He said the team arrived at the location but did not find the former NURTW chairman there.
According to Moruf, several armed men subsequently arrived while the operatives were waiting. He alleged that the men began shooting a few minutes later, forcing members of the team to flee.
Moruf further claimed that their vehicle was involved in an accident as they attempted to escape from the area.
His account forms part of the information available to investigators, who will need to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and assess the claims made by the arrested personnel.
Osun police have yet to announce a final conclusion regarding the respective roles of those arrested or the identities of all the individuals allegedly involved in the attack.
Police arrest suspect over deaths of four people in Ile-Ife
In a separate case, the Osun police commissioner announced the arrest of Oniyefa Olayemi over the killing of four people during a violent confrontation between rival groups at Alapa village, along Toro Road, Ile-Ife.
Zungura disclosed the arrest while briefing journalists on the command’s ongoing efforts to tackle violent crime across the state.
Further details about the suspect’s alleged involvement in the confrontation were not provided in the account of the briefing.
The circumstances that triggered the clash and whether other suspects are being pursued remain matters for investigation.
The police are expected to establish how the confrontation occurred, identify those responsible for the deaths and determine whether further arrests are necessary.
Six suspected robbers arrested in Osun, Oyo
The command also announced the arrest of six people suspected of carrying out robbery operations in Osun and Oyo states.
The suspects were identified as Olaiya Sunday, 27; Akintunde Mariam, 28; Agoro Kudus, 27; Timileyin Idowu, 23; Adekunle Ibrahim, 30; and Temitope Opeyemi, 29.
According to Zungura, the suspects allegedly robbed unsuspecting residents of motorcycles and mobile phones using imitation firearms to threaten their victims.
The police further alleged that the stolen items were sold to associates in Ibadan and Lagos.
The commissioner did not provide a breakdown of the alleged offences attributed to each suspect or specify the total value of the property involved.
Investigations are expected to establish the individual roles of the suspects and determine whether other people were involved in receiving or distributing the allegedly stolen goods.
Osun police said investigations into the murder, the Ile-Ife clash and the suspected robbery operations were continuing.
The command’s findings will determine the next steps in each case, including whether additional suspects will be arrested and formal charges filed.
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