The Osun State Park Management System has accused the police of shooting its chairman, Nurudeen Iyanda, also known as Alowonle, while he was in custody.
The accusation followed Iyanda’s arrest in connection with a domestic issue on Tuesday, November 19 morning.
In a statement issued by the group’s Secretary, Mukaila Popoola, the Park Management System alleged that Iyanda was shot in the early hours of Tuesday under circumstances that warrant a full investigation.
Popoola urged members to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands, assuring them that the matter would be pursued through the appropriate legal channels.
“We assert that our chairman was shot while in police custody, and we demand a thorough investigation into the matter,” the statement read.
However, the police have responded to these allegations, with the acting Police Public Relations Officer for the Osun Command, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, offering a different version of events. Giwa-Alade claimed that Iyanda was shot while attempting to escape custody.
According to the police account, Iyanda had been arrested on Monday, alongside several associates, on charges of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms, and malicious damage.
The arrest followed a petition filed by the complainant, which led to an investigation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Osun State Police Command.
Giwa-Alade explained that the police had acted on credible intelligence, which led them to a location on Ring Road, Osogbo, where Iyanda and his associates were allegedly planning to attack the complainant. When the police arrived, the suspects reportedly opened fire but were subdued, with nine individuals, including Iyanda, taken into custody.
As the suspects were being transported, the police claimed they were ambushed by a group of Iyanda’s supporters, who forcibly freed him and four other detainees, all while still in handcuffs.
Following this escape, police traced Iyanda and his associates to a hideout in the Susi area of Oke Baale, Osogbo, where Iyanda was rearrested. During a search of his vehicle, the police recovered a Barrett pistol, six rounds of 9mm ammunition, and an expanded empty shell. Giwa-Alade stated that Iyanda attempted to escape again during the search, prompting the officers to shoot him in the process.
He confirmed that Iyanda was now receiving medical treatment and was in stable condition.
In response to growing tensions, the military has deployed soldiers to the Ilesa Garage area of Osogbo to maintain order and prevent any further unrest. Armed soldiers have temporarily halted passenger boarding activities in the area, effectively restricting movement around the motor park.
The situation remains tense, with both the police and the Park Management System accusing each other over the circumstances of Iyanda’s arrest and shooting.
