FATHER RECOUNTS HEARTBREAKING MOMENT SON WAS KILLED BY STRAY BULLET IN IBADAN
Odunayo Alade, father of 14-year-old Kehinde Alade who was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic enforcement operation in Ibadan, has shared the harrowing details of the moment his son’s life was cut short.
The incident, which occurred near the Alakia area of Ibadan on Tuesday, has sparked public outrage and calls for justice. It took place during a joint operation by officers of the Oyo State Police Command and the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), targeting traffic offenders.
In an emotional interview with BBC News Pidgin, Mr. Alade explained that he was taking Kehinde and his twin brother to school when his vehicle was hit from behind.
“I was driving the children to school when they hit my car from behind,” he recounted. “While I was still confused and trying to reverse, a police officer suddenly opened fire. I didn’t immediately realise what had happened until my other children started shouting that blood was coming out of Kehinde.”
The bullet, he said, pierced Kehinde’s stomach. Despite rushing him to a nearby hospital, the teenager was later confirmed dead on arrival at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Alade, who is a single father raising his children alone since their mother left, was visibly distraught as he narrated the devastating loss.
Public Outrage and Police Response
Following the incident, the officer responsible reportedly fled into the nearby Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport for safety, prompting protests at the airport gate by aggrieved residents demanding justice.
In a statement confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Adewale Osifeso, described the shooting as a tragic consequence of what officers believed to be a potential criminal situation or abduction.
He explained that the police team had earlier tried to stop Mr. Alade’s vehicle, which was reportedly driving against traffic. When the driver allegedly refused to stop and rammed into enforcement vehicles, officers feared for public safety and initiated a chase.
“In an attempt to demobilise the vehicle, a police corporal fired a shot aimed at the tyres. Sadly, the bullet missed and hit the young boy seated in the rear of the vehicle,” Osifeso stated.
The officer involved has been taken into custody, and a full investigation is underway, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Government Reaction
The Oyo State Government has also reacted to the tragedy. In a statement issued by Suleimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, the government described Kehinde’s death as “sad, shocking, and painful.”
“The state government will collaborate with the police to ensure a thorough investigation and that justice is served. Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased,” the statement read.
The Command has assured the public of transparency throughout the investigation and has promised to keep the public informed as the case unfolds.
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