Odunayo Alade, father of slain WASSCE student, has spoken out about the events that led to the tragic shooting of his son, Kehinde Alade, in Ibadan, Oyo State. Kehinde was fatally struck by a stray bullet fired by a police officer while he was on his way to sit for his WASSCE examination.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning along Gbagi Market Road in Egbeda Local Government Area. Alade explained that he was driving his son to the examination center when they encountered officers from the Oyo State Traffic Management Agency (OYTMA). According to him, the road he used was a common shortcut taken by residents in the area and not a deliberate attempt to break traffic rules.
“I was taking the children to school yesterday morning and at the entrance of my junction, there is maybe a stone’s throw, not up to one pole or two poles, to where we just follow and then branch to normal way. I had to gauge my tyre,” he said.
He further described how the officers attempted to stop his vehicle and even hit it. In an attempt to avoid further delay and get his son to the exam center on time, he tried to maneuver away. “To my surprise, I saw OYTMA. They came and blocked me, even hit my vehicle and I had to reverse to bypass them,” he recalled.
When asked why he didn’t stop when flagged down, Alade said his only focus at the time was ensuring his son arrived for the 8:30 a.m. WASSCE paper. “If I should stop, they would have delayed the boy. That was why I had to maneuver my way,” he added.
He recounted hearing a loud sound shortly afterward, followed by his son’s screams. “The boy in question was shouting ‘daddy, daddy.’ I asked him why he was shouting… Then his twin brother told me he has been shot. Immediately I heard that, I parked. I brought him out, his clothes was soaked with blood…”
The injured boy was rushed to Welfare Hospital in Alakia by a fellow parent before being transferred to University College Hospital, but he was confirmed dead before arrival.
Alade noted that while he did not stop when the officers tried to halt him, he believed the road he took was commonly used and didn’t see it as a major traffic offense. He added, “To them, they said I followed one-way, and I let them know that this is the road all the neighbourhood use. It’s a very short distance to the main junction.”
The remains of Kehinde have been deposited at the Adeoyo State Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed that the officer who fired the shot, along with others involved, has been taken into custody. Police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso announced that the Commissioner of Police, Johnson Adenola, has directed a full investigation led by the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department.
