Grief has engulfed the home of Mr. Odunayo Alade in Ibadan, Oyo State, following the tragic killing of his 13-year-old son, Kehinde.
The once lively household is now overtaken by silence and sorrow, as relatives, neighbors, and sympathizers stream in to mourn the loss of the bright secondary school student.
Kehinde, a pupil of Jislord High School, Ibadan, was fatally shot on Tuesday while being driven by his father to drop off his older brother, Emmanuel, for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
The family was also accompanied by Kehinde’s twin brother, Taiwo, and two other children.
The tragedy occurred on Old Ife Road in the Alakia area when a police officer, reportedly accompanying officials from the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), opened fire on the vehicle.
Narrating the incident, Odunayo said, “As I was driving out, I encountered OYRTMA. In fact, I had got to the point where I was about to turn to the main lane when I saw one of them. They blocked me and used their vehicle to hit my car. I couldn’t wait because I was in a hurry to take their elder brother for his WAEC exam at 8.30am. I didn’t see the police with guns.”
“I only saw one of them (OYRTMA), so I put my vehicle in reverse to bypass him, then another towing van came and hit my vehicle. As I was leaving, I suddenly heard a gunshot. Kehinde shouted, ‘Daddy!’”
Odunayo, who separated from his wife years ago, said the car contained five children, including his three sons and two others belonging to a couple who were also in the vehicle.
In response to public outcry, the Oyo State Government issued a statement through Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, stating that the boy’s father drove against traffic and was in a tinted black Honda Accord when the shot was fired accidentally by the police.
But Odunayo refuted the claim. “It was only the rear glass that was tinted. The officers saw everyone in the car,” he insisted.
A visit to the scene revealed that the junction where the incident occurred is a known shortcut used by drivers to avoid a longer official U-turn route.
A vulcaniser at the junction, Saheed, confirmed the trend: “Most people coming from this side usually pass through here when the road is free because they feel going around the long turning is stressful.”
“They’ve Shot Me” — Kehinde’s Last Words
Kehinde’s twin, Taiwo, was visibly devastated. “I loved my brother so much. I miss him. How I wish he were still here with me,” he told our reporter, breaking into tears.
The twins, family members said, were inseparable.
Mrs. Peter Funmilayo, a family neighbor who was also in the car, recalled the chilling moment.
“One of them opened the door by my side, saw the children, and closed it again. He (Odunayo) tried to move again, just not to delay the boy sitting the exam, because he knew that was what would happen.
“We didn’t know there were policemen carrying guns there. Suddenly, we heard a gunshot. Paul (Kehinde) screamed, ‘They’ve shot me!’ We were all in shock. My husband immediately rushed him to Welfare Hospital.”
Kehinde’s maternal aunt, Olabisi Animashaun, said she found out through a Facebook post before getting confirmation from the boy’s mother.
“I saw the news on Facebook, but I didn’t realise it was that close to home until his mother called me in tears, telling me her son was dead.”
Abe, a nephew of the deceased, described Kehinde as talented and promising. A church member, Fajobi Olumide, also shared fond memories.
“He played the drum set during last Sunday’s church service. Just last Saturday, he came with his father to our house for an event. I gave him a sachet of water because he was too shy to ask. I didn’t know that would be the last time I would see him.”
“Brought In Barely Alive” — Doctor Confirms
Dr. Segun Olaniyi of Welfare Hospital confirmed that Kehinde arrived at the hospital around 7:45
“The boy was brought in on Tuesday around 7:45am with a history of gunshot injury sustained while he was in his father’s car. Upon arrival, his pulse was barely detectable; he was barely alive.”
He described the severity of the injury: “The bullet had entered from the back and exited through the front of his abdomen,” indicating massive internal damage. Despite immediate medical efforts, Kehinde was transferred to the University College Hospital (UCH), where he was declared dead.
Chief Onaolapo Adegbayi, the Baale of Adegbayi and a retired military officer, condemned the action of the police.
“The police are meant to provide security, not take a life. While the father may have some fault, the appropriate response would have been to arrest him without resorting to shooting.”
Debo Adeniran, National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, said the incident reflects deep flaws in law enforcement.
“Those who are supposed to help citizens obey the law are the same ones luring them into violations and exploiting them. It’s a shame.”
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Clement Onwuenwunor, emphasized that traffic violations are not punishable by death.
“The police officer committed manslaughter and should be arraigned and tried accordingly.”
In a related statement, the Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Tiamiyu Ademola, demanded accountability.
“We give the police 24 hours to reveal the identity of the trigger-happy officer.”
As the Alade family mourns an irreplaceable loss, they are not only demanding justice, but also calling attention to the unchecked brutality and carelessness of security agents whose duty is to protect.
“All I want is justice,” Odunayo said, still visibly shattered.
