Some yet-to-be identified hoodlums on Sunday killed a former unit chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Kazeem Oyewole, in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The killing sparked tension at several motor parks across the metropolis as friends and associates of the deceased began searching for those responsible.
Eyewitness accounts say the incident happened in the afternoon. Oyewole, who served as part-time chairman of the NURTW Aregbe Unit between 2018 and 2022, was allegedly attacked by a group of hoodlums operating near Elelede Junction.
A resident who witnessed the attack from a safe distance said the hoodlums had earlier set up a base at the junction, collecting money from passersby under the pretext of raising funds for a planned carnival.
“While that was going on, a motorcycle carrying two people arrived the scene and those hoodlums forced the two passengers to disembark. They started fighting those passengers. I heard gunshots. They later identified one of the two persons that were attacked as Kazeem.
“Later, they brought big stones and smashed the head of a man identified as Kazeem. He died on the spot. The other person however escaped from the scene of the attack with open wound. After the incident, the hoodlums fled before police would arrive the scene,” the resident said.
A shop owner at Elelede Junction also described how businesses in the area quickly shut down as the crisis unfolded.
She said that Kazeem Oyewole was later identified by NURTW members who arrived at the scene after the attack, confirming his identity as the former part-time chairman of the union’s unit along the Osogbo/Gbongan road in the Aregbe area.
The Police Public Relations Officer for Osun State Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the killing, stating that police officers were deployed immediately after receiving information about the incident.
Ojelabi said, “We are aware of the incident that happened at Orita Elelede (Osogbo), and we deployed our men to the place immediately information got to us, but unfortunately, one person was confirmed dead. He was identified as Kazeem. Other name unknown. Investigation has commenced.
“We are still monitoring the situation. We are going to monitor the parks for now.”
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