A tragic scene unfolded in Ibadan on Tuesday when a stray police bullet claimed the life of a young student on his way to sit his final secondary school exam.
The unnamed boy, a Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) pupil, was being driven by his father along the busy Gbagi Market Road when he was hit by a bullet reportedly fired by a policeman during a confrontation with a fleeing Hilux vehicle.
Eyewitnesses say the officer had attempted to stop the vehicle for inspection, but the shot missed and instead struck the schoolboy. The child was rushed to Welfare Hospital in the New Gbagi area but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The tragedy sparked outrage among residents. Protesters carried the boy’s lifeless body to the Oyo State Government Secretariat in Agodi, calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and ensure justice is served.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the killing in strong terms.
In a statement signed by Michael Oyewole, Chief Press Secretary to the NANS National President, the group described the incident as “tragic and avoidable.”
NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, said: “This senseless and devastating incident is a painful reminder of the unchecked recklessness, brutality, and gross disregard for human life that continues to characterise certain elements within the Nigerian Police Force. That a child, who was simply pursuing his right to education and striving for a better future, could be killed in such a manner is not only heartbreaking but utterly unacceptable.”
He further called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the officer involved, as well as adequate compensation for the bereaved family.
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