Osun Govt Confirms Arrest of Police Anti-Kidnapping Head Over Shooting Incident
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has announced that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of Moses Lohor, the Head of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad in the state, along with his team, for attempted murder.
This decision was confirmed by Samuel Ojo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, following a closed-door meeting with Governor Adeleke and the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Umar Abba.
The crisis began when operatives from the Osun State Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Squad, led by Moses Lohor, allegedly shot Wakeel Nurudeen Iyanda Alowonle, the Chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System, on Monday night. The police claimed that Alowonle was shot after he attempted to flee arrest when a pistol and ammunition were reportedly discovered in his vehicle. However, the state government has disputed the police’s account of events.
The state government, through a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, has labeled the shooting as a case of suspected murder. According to the statement, Alowonle was shot in the abdomen after his arrest over a domestic dispute with a neighbor. He is currently on life support at the Intensive Care Unit of the Osun State Teaching Hospital in Osogbo.
In response to the incident, Samuel Ojo revealed that the police authorities have condemned Moses Lohor’s actions as unprofessional, illegal, unauthorized, and in violation of the police operational code. Lohor and his team have since been relocated to Abuja for further investigation. The IGP has issued a clear directive for punitive action, and the Osun State Government is committed to ensuring that justice is served in the matter.
