A student on his way to write the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination was killed on Tuesday morning in Ibadan when a police officer’s stray bullet hit him during a car chase.
The tragic event happened along Gbagi Market Road in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A police team was pursuing a vehicle suspected to belong to internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as “Yahoo Boys.”
In the process of trying to stop the car, one of the officers fired a shot.
The bullet missed its intended target and struck the student, who was riding on a motorcycle with his twin brother.
The boy, who had set out to take his school examination, was rushed to Welfare Hospital, but doctors confirmed that he had died before arrival.
Soon after the news spread, angry traders and residents gathered and marched to the Oyo State Secretariat with the boy’s body.
They demanded justice and asked the authorities to take action against the officer involved.
Protesters also called for better conduct from the police during operations, especially in public places where innocent people may be affected.
To prevent the protest from escalating, security officers were stationed at the secretariat entrance to control the crowd.
Despite the growing anger, there has been no official statement from the Oyo State Police Command or the state government about the shooting.
