There was anger in the Alakia–Gbagi area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday when a schoolboy was killed by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a policeman.
The incident, which occurred during rush hour, reportedly began when the boy’s father was alleged to have violated a traffic signal.
In an attempt to evade apprehension, he was said to have been chased by some policemen.
According to eyewitnesses, one of the policemen fired at the fleeing vehicle to disable it by targeting its tyres.
Student killed in Ibadan, Oyo, on Tuesday, 20 May, 2025.
The bullet was said to have struck the child, who was in the car with his father, fatally wounding him.
“The officer was trying to stop the vehicle, but he fired and hit the boy instead. It all happened so fast along Gbagi Market Road,” one witness recounted.
The victim was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.
Angered by the incident, a mob moved the pupil’s corpse to the Oyo State Secretariat, where they staged a protest, demanding justice and accountability from the state government.
As of the time of filing this report, the police have yet to issue an official statement regarding the shooting.
