Oyo Govt Investigates Officer Over Student’s Death
Oyo Govt Investigates Officer Over Student’s Death
The Oyo State Government has confirmed that the police officer who shot a secondary school student during a routine traffic stop in Ibadan is under investigation.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday along Alakia Old Road, has sparked public outrage and widespread demands for justice.
Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, in a statement said the government expressed its condolences to the bereaved family, describing the event as sad, shocking and painful.
The government stressed out that the incident was totally avoidable, noting that it stemmed from a traffic violation committed by the father of the deceased, who was driving against traffic.
According to the statement, around 7:30 a.m., the father of the slain boy was driving a tinted black Honda Accord car (registration number FST 639 JU) against traffic.
During the attempt to apprehend him, a policeman — now under investigation — fired a shot aimed at one of the car’s tyres. The bullet missed the tyre but struck the student inside the vehicle, causing fatal injuries,” the statement
said.
The government clarified that contrary to circulating reports that the police were pursuing a suspected internet fraudster, the shooting occurred during a routine crackdown on traffic violations by the Oyo State Road Traffic Maintenance Authority, OYRTMA, with police support.
The operation was initiated in response to repeated complaints about frequent one-way traffic violations along Alakia Old Road—violations that had previously led to fatalities and serious injuries.
“The involvement of police backup became necessary after several assaults on OYRTMA officials, including the recent killing of one by a traffic offender in Ibadan,” the statement added.
