Society Gist
By Gite Igiehon
The Oyo State Police Command has revealed that the father of the secondary school student who was tragically killed by a stray bullet was driving against traffic at the time of the incident. The explanation follows public outrage and widespread calls for justice after the student, a teenage girl, was fatally shot during a police operation in Ibadan.
According to the police, the incident occurred during an anti-crime patrol along the Oremeji-Agugu area of the state capital. Officers were reportedly attempting to stop a vehicle that was being driven recklessly and against the flow of traffic when the unfortunate incident took place.
In a statement released by the command, police spokesperson SP Adewale Osifeso confirmed that the deceased was in the vehicle with her father when officers attempted to flag them down. The driver, however, allegedly failed to stop and attempted to evade the patrol team, prompting a warning shot to be fired — one that tragically struck the young girl.
“The unfortunate incident involved a vehicle being driven against traffic in a dangerously erratic manner,” Osifeso said. “Efforts to stop the vehicle were ignored. In the process, a warning shot was discharged, and unfortunately, it struck the student who later died from the injury sustained.”
The police added that the officer involved has been identified and taken into custody pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The command assured the public that a full inquiry is underway and pledged transparency and fairness in handling the case.
Meanwhile, the tragic loss has sparked widespread grief and condemnation across social media and among human rights groups, many of whom are calling for accountability and immediate reforms within the Nigeria Police Force.
The family of the deceased has demanded justice, maintaining that nothing can justify the use of firearms in a densely populated civilian area. Eyewitnesses also dispute some aspects of the police account, stating that the officers appeared agitated and opened fire without clear provocation.
As the investigation unfolds, the Oyo State government has yet to release an official statement, but advocacy groups are calling for the implementation of stricter rules of engagement for officers in civilian zones to prevent further tragedies.
