The Osun State Police Command has launched an investigation into the killing of a former unit chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kazeem Oyewole, who suspected hoodlums in Osogbo allegedly murdered on Sunday.
The incident, which occurred at Elelede Junction in the state capital, sparked palpable tension across several motor parks in the Osogbo metropolis. Reports indicated that individuals believed to be associates of the deceased moved around major parks, allegedly searching for those suspected to be responsible for Oyewole’s death, raising fears of possible reprisals.
Oyewole, who served as part-time chairman of the NURTW Aregbe Unit along the Osogbo–Gbongan Road between 2018 and 2022, was reportedly attacked in the early afternoon. As of press time, the precise circumstances surrounding his killing remained unclear.
However, a resident who witnessed the incident from a distance and spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons told journalists that a group of hoodlums had stationed themselves at Elelede Junction, allegedly extorting money from passersby under the pretext of raising funds for a proposed carnival.
According to the eyewitness, a motorcycle carrying two passengers arrived at the scene during the extortion exercise. The hoodlums reportedly forced the passengers to disembark and engaged them in a violent confrontation.
“I heard gunshots shortly afterwards,” the witness said. “They later identified one of the victims as Kazeem. They brought large stones and smashed his head. He died on the spot, while the other person managed to escape with an open wound. The attackers fled before the police arrived.”
A shop owner at Elelede Junction, identified simply as Basira, said the violence brought business activities in the area to an abrupt halt. She confirmed that NURTW members later identified the deceased as Kazeem Oyewole, a former unit chairman in the Aregbe area.
Meanwhile, security concerns heightened at Old Garage and Aregbe motor parks, where residents and commuters reportedly avoided the areas for fear of being caught up in further violence. Hoodlums were also observed loitering around the parks.
Confirming the incident, the Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the command had commenced a full investigation. He added that security operatives had been deployed and that the situation was being closely monitored to prevent escalation.
The killing adds to a troubling pattern of violence involving NURTW leaders in the state. On November 27, 2025, another prominent NURTW leader, Adeboye Ademoroti, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Ilesa under circumstances that remain unresolved.
