Tension gripped parts of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday following the tragic death of a student who was allegedly killed by a stray bullet fired by a police officer while on his way to sit for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The heartbreaking incident occurred along the Gbagi Market road in Egbeda Local Government Area when the student, reportedly accompanied by his father and twin brother on a motorcycle, was struck by the bullet during a police chase.
Eyewitnesses said police officers were in hot pursuit of a suspect — some say traffic offenders, others claim they were chasing alleged internet fraudsters — when one of the officers allegedly opened fire. One of the bullets hit the student, who was immediately rushed to Welfare Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
“A police officer opened fire while chasing a fleeing vehicle,” said a witness, Mr. Ajani. “The bullet hit the boy who was on a bike with his father and twin brother. He was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late.”
Another resident confirmed that the deceased was heading to his exam centre to write his WAEC paper when he was killed.
In a swift reaction, irate youths took the student’s lifeless body to the Oyo State Government Secretariat at Agodi, Ibadan, demanding justice and calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to take immediate action.
The body has since been deposited at the Adeoyo Hospital morgue.
Meanwhile, human rights organisation, Save the Poor and Needy Charity Initiative (SPANCI), condemned the killing. In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Yemi Ezekiel Bello, the group called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to launch an immediate investigation.
“Dear IGP and stakeholders, kindly investigate this tragic case,” Bello stated. “Reports say police officers and officials of the Oyo Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) were chasing suspected Yahoo boys or traffic offenders and started shooting indiscriminately. One bullet hit this boy and ended his life.”
Bello also called for disciplinary action against the officers involved, describing the shooting as “unprofessional and avoidable.”
As of press time, the Oyo State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The tragedy has reignited concerns about police conduct and the use of firearms in public spaces, especially when civilians are at risk. Students and parents across the state remain shaken, with many expressing fear about their safety even while undertaking routine academic activities.
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