Tragedy in Ibadan: Heartbroken Father Demands Justice After 14-Year-Old Son Is Killed by Stray Bullet from Police Gunfire
The pain of losing a child is one of the most unimaginable tragedies any parent can face. For Odunayo Alade, a father in Ibadan, Oyo State, that tragic reality came crashing down on Tuesday morning when his 14-year-old son, Kehinde Paul, was fatally struck by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer. What should have been a routine drive to school turned into a nightmare that ended with the death of a bright, young boy with dreams of becoming a lawyer.
This shocking incident, which took place near Gbagi Market in the Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, has stirred a wave of public outrage and grief, raising new concerns about the conduct of law enforcement officials and the heavy-handedness of traffic enforcement operations in Nigeria.
A Father’s Account: From Morning Routine to Mourning
In an emotionally charged interview, Odunayo Alade recounted the horrifying events leading to his son’s death. According to him, he was simply trying to take a commonly used shortcut to drop off his children at school when his vehicle was suddenly intercepted by personnel from the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) and some police officers. His oldest son had a vital West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) paper to write that morning, and Kehinde, who was in SS1, was accompanying them as part of their regular school routine.
“I was taking the children to school yesterday morning, and just at the entrance of our street, which connects to the main road—a route that every resident uses—I encountered OYRTMA officials. They blocked my path and even hit my vehicle. I tried to reverse and maneuver out of the situation because I was in a rush to get the children to school,” Alade explained.
His voice cracked with emotion as he continued, “Another vehicle, a towing truck, hit us again as I was trying to escape. I didn’t know they were that many. It felt like a setup. I just wanted to avoid any delays. My son had an important exam, and I didn’t want him to be late.”
According to Alade, the distance in question was barely a few meters and commonly used by many residents. He contested the claim that he was violating traffic laws by saying, “This is not a one-way as they claim. Everyone in the neighborhood uses that path. It’s a tiny stretch that connects us to the main road.”
The Moment That Changed Everything
Having believed he had escaped the officers and was out of danger, Alade suddenly heard a gunshot. What followed next was every parent’s worst fear.
“My son started shouting, ‘Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!’ and I thought he was just scared. I told him we had left them behind and everything was fine. But then his twin brother screamed, ‘Daddy stop, Paul has been shot!’ That’s when I realized the bullet had hit him,” Alade said tearfully.
He quickly pulled over and found the back seat soaked in blood. “I was shocked. I held my son, screaming for help. People gathered. I managed to hold one of the officials. There was another parent in the car with us. We rushed Paul to a nearby welfare hospital,” he said.
Despite being given emergency oxygen and immediately transferred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Kehinde didn’t survive the journey. He was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Kehinde Paul: A Promising Life Cut Short
Kehinde Paul was more than just a statistic in the country’s growing list of police brutality victims. He was a young boy full of dreams. According to his father, Kehinde had recently expressed a strong desire to become a lawyer.
“He told me just last week that he wanted to be a lawyer. Initially, I had bought science textbooks for him and his brother. But before the second term resumed, he told me he was no longer interested in science and had decided to switch to Arts,” Alade said, adding, “He was so determined. He said, ‘Daddy, I want to become a lawyer.’ He had that clarity at just 13.”
Now, that bright light has been extinguished, and the hopes of a young life contributing meaningfully to society have been shattered.
A Single Father’s Lifelong Sacrifice
Odunayo Alade has been raising Kehinde and his twin brother alone since their mother left the family seven years ago. He made a personal vow to prioritize their upbringing, even if it meant remaining single.
“I’ve been the only parent they’ve known for seven years. I sacrificed everything to raise them properly. and didn’t remarry because I wanted to focus all my attention on them. Often times I asked myself, what kind of woman would accept a man with children and not bring unnecessary hardship into our lives?” he said.
The pain in his voice was palpable as he described the bond he shared with his children. “We were a team. I did everything for them—school fees, clothing, food, love. They were my world. Kehinde was just 14. He hadn’t even started living.”
An Eyewitness Confirms the Father’s Account
An eyewitness, who was in the vehicle with Alade and the children at the time, corroborated the father’s story in a now-viral video. He revealed that the officials were fully aware that there were children in the car.
“One of the officers tried to open the door and grab the steering wheel from the father. Another tried to open my side door. I even heard one of them say, ‘You’re carrying children and driving rough.’ So they knew we had kids in the vehicle. The children were clearly in school uniforms,” the witness said.
He continued, “When the gunshot rang out, we thought they were just trying to scare people. But the boy screamed he had been shot. I looked back and saw no broken glass, but then I noticed the boy was gasping. I’m a medical practitioner, so I tried to stabilize him as best as I could before we rushed him to the hospital.”
Government Response and Public Outcry
The Oyo State Government, in a statement, confirmed that the joint operation by OYRTMA and the police was aimed at curbing the growing menace of one-way driving in the area, which they said had led to numerous accidents and fatalities in the past.
However, the explanation has done little to quell public anger. Many have taken to social media and the streets to express their outrage, demanding accountability and justice for Kehinde. Hashtags like #JusticeForKehinde and #EndPoliceBrutality have begun to trend, drawing comparisons to past incidents where police actions have led to the deaths of innocent citizens.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has confirmed that the officer involved in the shooting has been taken into custody and is currently under investigation.
A Call for Justice and Systemic Reform
For Odunayo Alade, the only thing that can begin to heal his wound is justice—not just for his son, but to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“This must not go unpunished. They must be held accountable. No parent should have to go through what I’m experiencing right now. I want to understand why a bullet was fired at a car carrying children. What was the threat? Why resort to violence for a traffic infraction?” he asked.
He added that the frequent abuse of power by law enforcement needs to be addressed decisively. “Give a man a little power in this country, and he becomes a tyrant. The police are supposed to protect us, not destroy our lives. Their brutality is uncalled for.”
Many Nigerians echo Alade’s sentiments. In a country where citizens routinely fear encounters with the police, the need for deep-rooted reforms in policing and traffic enforcement has never been more urgent.
Civil Society and Human Rights Groups Weigh In
Various civil society organizations and human rights activists have condemned the incident and are calling for immediate action. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), and several child protection advocacy groups have issued statements demanding swift prosecution of those responsible.
“The use of deadly force in response to a non-violent traffic infraction, especially when children are present, is not just reckless—it is criminal,” a spokesperson from CDHR said. “We will follow this case to its logical conclusion and ensure justice is done.”
A Community in Mourning
The local community in Egbeda is still reeling from the shock of the incident. Residents who knew Kehinde described him as respectful, intelligent, and always cheerful.
“He was one of the brightest boys in his class. Always respectful, always smiling,” a teacher from his school said. “This is a loss that we will never forget.”
Vigils have been held in the neighborhood, with mourners lighting candles and laying flowers at the spot where the fatal shot was allegedly fired.
Conclusion: A Nation Demands Answers
Kehinde Paul’s death is not just another unfortunate headline—it is a symbol of a deeper rot in Nigeria’s policing and public safety apparatus. It is a painful reminder that without urgent reform, the country’s children remain vulnerable to the very forces meant to protect them.
As Kehinde’s twin brother, now left alone to bear the weight of this loss, continues his academic journey without his other half, the question on the minds of many Nigerians remains: how many more lives must be lost before real change takes place?
For Odunayo Alade, the pain is still raw, and justice remains the only balm that can begin to heal his shattered heart.
“I gave up everything for my children,” he said. “Now, one of them is gone because someone decided to fire a bullet at us like our lives didn’t matter. All I ask for is justice—for Kehinde, and for every innocent child out there.”