Father of Teen Killed by Police Stray Bullet Says Son Was Running Late for WASSCE Exam
Odunayo Alade, father of Kehinde, the teenager killed by a police officer’s stray bullet in Ibadan, has revealed that one of his sons was rushing to write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when the tragic incident occurred.
The Tragic Incident
The 17-year-old was fatally shot on Tuesday in the Gbagi area of Ibadan after a police officer opened fire on his father’s vehicle. The Oyo State Police Command claimed Alade was trying to evade arrest for driving against traffic.
Video evidence shows Alade maneuvering his car to avoid being stopped by a joint team of police officers and officials of the Oyo State Traffic Management Authority (OYTMA). A police corporal fired live rounds at the vehicle, with one bullet striking Kehinde in the abdomen as he sat in the backseat with his twin brother.
Father’s Account of Events
In an emotional interview with News Central TV, Alade maintained he wasn’t violating traffic laws:
“I was taking the children to school yesterday morning and at the entrance of my junction, there is maybe a stone’s throw to where we just follow and then branch to normal way. To my surprise, I saw OYTMA. They came and blocked me, even hit my vehicle and I had to reverse to bypass them.”
Alade explained the route he took was commonly used by residents as a shortcut to the main road. When asked why he didn’t stop, he cited his son’s impending WASSCE examination:
“The elder brother of the deceased was supposed to be writing WASSCE yesterday. He was having 8:30am WAEC paper and if I should stop, they would have delayed the boy. That was why I had to maneuver my way.”
Aftermath of the Shooting
Alade recounted hearing the gunshot but not realizing his son had been hit until Kehinde began screaming in pain. The devastated father revealed his late son had recently switched from science class with aspirations of becoming a lawyer.
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