A scholar’s life was lower brief in Ibadan when a police bullet, supposed for suspected fraudsters, struck him en path to his WAEC examination. The incident has ignited protests and calls for for accountability.
By All Information Newspaper 20TH Might 2025 | In a heart-wrenching incident that has sparked outrage throughout Nigeria, a secondary faculty scholar en route to sit down for his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination was fatally struck by a stray bullet fired by law enforcement officials pursuing suspected web fraudsters, generally known as “Yahoo Boys,” in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The tragic occasion unfolded on the morning of Might 20, 2025, alongside Akala Expressway in Ibadan. In response to eyewitness accounts, law enforcement officials have been in scorching pursuit of a Hilux car believed to be occupied by suspected Yahoo Boys. In an try and apprehend the suspects, the officers reportedly opened fireplace, aiming on the car’s tires. Tragically, a bullet missed its supposed goal and struck the coed, who was in a automotive along with his father, heading to his examination heart.
The coed was instantly rushed to Welfare Hospital however was pronounced useless upon arrival.
The incident has ignited widespread condemnation and protests. Grief-stricken merchants and residents took to the streets, marching to the Oyo State Secretariat with the coed’s physique, demanding justice and accountability from the police pressure. Safety personnel have been deployed to handle the rising crowd, whereas demonstrators known as for pressing reforms in police operations.
Social media platforms have been flooded with reactions from Nigerians expressing their sorrow and anger. Many have known as for a radical investigation into the incident and for measures to stop such tragedies sooner or later.
This incident provides to the rising checklist of casualties ensuing from police actions in Nigeria, elevating severe considerations about the usage of pressure and the necessity for complete police reform. Human rights organizations and civil society {groups} have reiterated their requires the Nigerian authorities to implement measures that guarantee the security and safety of its residents, particularly the youth.
As of the time of this report, the Oyo State Police Command has not launched an official assertion relating to the incident. Efforts to achieve the police spokesperson for feedback have been unsuccessful.