The Oyo State Government has confirmed that the police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a secondary school student during a traffic stop in Ibadan is now in custody and under investigation.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday morning along Alakia Old Road and has sparked widespread outrage. Angry residents staged a protest march to the State Secretariat, demanding justice and accountability.
In an official statement signed by the spokesperson to Governor Seyi Makinde, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the government described the incident as “sad, shocking, and totally avoidable.” It extended heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and assured the public that a thorough investigation would be carried out in collaboration with the Oyo State Police Command.
According to preliminary reports, the victim was a passenger in a black, tinted Honda Accord driven by his father, who was allegedly violating traffic rules by driving against the flow of traffic. During an attempt to stop the vehicle, a police officer reportedly aimed at the car’s tyres but accidentally shot the student.
Eyewitnesses near Gbagi Market said the officer appeared to be trying to immobilize the car. “It happened so fast,” said one observer. “The shot missed the tyre and hit the boy instead.”
The student was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Officials clarified that the operation was not a raid targeting suspected internet fraudsters, as speculated on social media, but rather a routine traffic enforcement effort led by the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA). The campaign was aimed at curbing dangerous driving practices along Alakia Old Road, a high-risk area known for frequent accidents.
The government added that police presence had been requested to support traffic officers following previous attacks on OYRTMA personnel, including the recent killing of an official.
