Osun police arrest 23 over NURTW fracas

Briefing newsmen in Osogbo on the incidence, the state commissioner of police, John Moronike, also confirmed the death of two of his officers and the NURTW local branch chairman. The commissioner of police gave the names of the police officers who were burnt beyond recognition after they were matcheted to death as Corporals Muhu Adejoh […]

Briefing newsmen in Osogbo on the incidence, the state commissioner of police, John Moronike, also confirmed the death of two of his officers and the NURTW local branch chairman.

The commissioner of police gave the names of the police officers who were burnt beyond recognition after they were matcheted to death as Corporals Muhu Adejoh and Dosumu Akinola while the NURTW boss was Chief Sagemo Abiodun Idowu.

He also disclosed that the commission also lost its newly acquired Toyota Hilux Van which was completely burnt by the irate mob.

According to Mr Moronike, the two other police officers who were at the scene of the incident but were abducted had been rescued by the police and were now hale and hearty.

The CP disclosed that there were conflicting reports on the main causes of the incident but assured that the state CID had stepped into the matter to find the causes of the incident.

Moronike then warned citizens of the state not to take laws into their hands, saying any act of jungle justice is criminal and would be seriously frowned at.

It would be recalled that two mobile police constables, Nuhu Adejoh and Dosunmu Akinola, were last Monday killed in Ora-Igbomina in a reprisal attack by members of the NURTW who alleged that one of the policemen shot and killed their local chairman, Chief Sagemo Abiodun Idowu at a police check point in the town.

According to sources, trouble started early in the morning when a commercial driver refused to give money allegedly demanded by the policemen posted to the border town which led to a hot argument between the two parties.

It was further learnt that the policemen “detained” the driver and his vehicle at the border town until he agreed to “settle” them.

But when the information filtered to the NURTW officials at the motor park, the chairman of the union with some of his members went to the scene of the incident to plead with the mobile policemen and bail out his member.

Our correspondent gathered that while the negotiation was going on, one of the policemen at the scene allegedly fired his gun which blew off the head of the NURTW boss and left him dead on the spot.