Oyo Government investigates police officer who killed student

The Oyo State Government has begun an investigation into the actions of a police officer who fatally shot a secondary school student during a regular traffic enforcement operation in Ibadan.

This event happened along Alakia Old Road on Tuesday, leading to public anger and widespread demands for accountability.

The government offered its sympathies to the mourning family and referred to the incident as sad, shocking, and painful.

It emphasized that the tragedy could have been prevented, explaining that it was triggered by a traffic offense committed by the deceased student’s father, who drove in the wrong direction.

According to the statement, the incident took place at about 7:30 a.m. when the boy’s father was driving a black Honda Accord with tinted windows and the registration number FST 639 JU against the normal flow of 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 stated clearly that despite rumors suggesting the police were chasing an internet fraud suspect, the shooting actually happened during a routine operation to curb traffic offenses by the Oyo State Road Traffic Maintenance Authority, OYRTMA, with assistance from the police.

“The operation was launched following complaints about frequent one-way traffic breaches along Alakia Old Road, which had previously resulted in deaths and serious injuries.

“The backup from the police became necessary after assaults on OYRTMA officials and the recent killing of one official by a traffic offender in Ibadan,” the statement added.