Fresh Report Emerge On How Osun NURTW Chief ‘Emir’ Was Killed

The killing of Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir, a political associate of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has renewed concerns over the longstanding struggle for control of motor parks within the Accord Party and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state.

Oyeyemi was reportedly attacked by gunmen while eating at a canteen near Mayfair Motor Park in Ile-Ife.

The facility, reportedly owned by a woman known as Iya Ibeji, was where the Emir and some NURTW members stopped for a meal after attending a meeting in Modakeke.

A source who witnessed the incident told The Nation that some of the attackers wore uniforms associated with a local security outfit, raising suspicions of possible collusion.

According to the source, the assailants called Emir out while he was eating with some of his associates before attacking him.

The source alleged that Emir was shot several times, forcing his Personal Assistant, identified as Samuel Gbogo, to flee.

He added that Emir, despite sustaining gunshot wounds, reportedly struggled with one of the attackers in an attempt to seize his rifle.

The assailants eventually overpowered him and allegedly struck him repeatedly on the head with a hammer before shooting him again and fleeing the scene.

The incident occurred shortly after Emir had attended a meeting with NURTW leaders at the residence of the Commissioner for Transportation, Sesan Oyedele, in Modakeke.

According to sources, Emir had earlier told some close associates that he was travelling to Modakeke for a peace meeting ahead of his expected announcement as head of the state’s Park Management System.

He reportedly had breakfast of yam and egg on Sunday before leaving for the meeting.

Sources said the Emir arrived at the commissioner’s residence at about 8:49am, where NURTW leaders and executives attended the meeting.

Some union leaders alleged that the commissioner told them during the meeting that the state government had endorsed Emir as the next chairman of the park system.

Photographs were reportedly taken after the meeting before the participants left the residence.

A NURTW figure, Gbedegesin, said Emir and others later stopped at Mayfair Motor Park on their way back, where the attack occurred.

An eyewitness said the attackers remained at the scene until they were certain that Emir was dead.

“They overpowered him and they confirmed him dead before they left around 3:15 pm,” the eyewitness said.

He added that Emir was unfamiliar with the area and was allegedly pursued before he was eventually attacked.

“It was easy for them because Ile-Ife was not the terrain of Emir. He was chased to the point that he was killed. I saw uniformed men joining the assailants,” he alleged.

The eyewitness said those at the scene initially rushed Emir to seek medical attention after the attackers left.

“After they left, we rushed at him but he was bleeding. At a point, he jerked back to life while we were on our way to Osogbo,” he said.

According to him, Emir was taken to the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, but a family member allegedly instructed them not to allow doctors to administer an injection because Emir was believed to possess what was described as “apaji”, or resurrection power.

The eyewitness said the family member instead directed them to take Emir to a herbalist for traditional rites. The source said the group eventually took Emir to the herbalist, where the herbalist performed traditional rites.

“When we got there, they lit a lamp of his redemption, and it came up, suggesting that life was still in his body,” he said.

He said the herbalist subsequently instructed them to take Emir to a hospital for medical treatment.

“After the rites, the herbalist directed us to take him to hospital for care, and we did. He was placed on oxygen from evening on Sunday and later died around 10:38 pm, after which he was moved to the mortuary,” he added.

The source, however, linked the killing to Emir’s controversial past and the political and transport-related disputes surrounding him.

“All I can say is that despite Emir’s efforts to clean himself from his past, his past haunted him and killed him,” he said.

He further alleged that some individuals in authority whom Emir trusted may have betrayed him.

“We have the notion that some people in authority whom Emir trusted betrayed him. Why the choice of Modakeke and Ile-Ife, a strange enclave for Emir, as the ground for peace meeting?” the source asked.