In a heart-wrenching turn of events, a 17-year-old student in Ibadan, Oyo State, lost his life to a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer during a routine traffic operation. The student was on his way to sit for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when the incident occurred on Gbagi Market Road in the Egbeda Local Government Area.
Eyewitnesses report that the student was traveling with his father and twin brother when police officers, collaborating with the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), attempted to stop their vehicle for driving against traffic. In the process, an officer fired a shot intended for the car’s tires, but the bullet tragically struck the student.
Despite immediate efforts to save him, the student was declared dead upon arrival at Welfare Hospital in Alakia. The incident prompted an outpouring of grief and anger, with protesters transporting the student’s body to the Oyo State Government Secretariat, demanding accountability and justice.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration responded promptly, with Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, expressing condolences and labeling the incident as “sad, shocking, and painful.” He emphasized the avoidable nature of the tragedy and assured the public of a thorough investigation in collaboration with the state police command.
The government clarified that the operation was a response to persistent traffic violations in the area, not a pursuit of internet fraudsters, as some reports indicated. They also highlighted previous assaults on OYRTMA officials, necessitating police involvement in traffic enforcement operations.
As the community mourns the loss of a promising young life, this incident underscores the urgent need for police reform and stricter adherence to protocols to prevent such devastating occurrences in the future.
