KEY POINTS

• A WASSCE candidate was fatally struck by a stray bullet from police pursuing a suspect in Ibadan.

• His death sparked protests, with outraged youths carrying his body to the state secretariat demanding justice.

• Human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the shooting, as police have yet to issue a formal statement.

A tragic and deeply disturbing incident in Ibadan has reignited nationwide concern over police conduct, after a student on his way to write a critical examination was killed by a stray bullet allegedly fired by police officers.

The victim, a candidate in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), was fatally shot along the busy Gbagi Market Road in Egbeda Local Government Area on the morning of Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

The student, who has been identified as one of a pair of twins, was reportedly on a motorcycle with his father and twin brother when police officers, in pursuit of a suspect, opened fire.

AAN TV reports that one of the bullets struck the boy, who was immediately rushed to a nearby medical facility. He was, however, declared dead on arrival.

“He was just on his way to write his exam,” said Ajani, an eyewitness who witnessed the event unfold. “The police fired while chasing someone, and one of the bullets hit the boy. They rushed him to a hospital, but it was too late.”

According to local residents, the boy and his twin were en route to the same exam centre when their lives took a devastating turn. The father, who witnessed the incident from just inches away, was inconsolable at the scene.

Anger on the streets as youths demand justice

The tragic loss sparked immediate unrest in Ibadan. Within hours, hundreds of aggrieved youths mobilized in protest.

In a symbolic act of grief and resistance, the student’s body was carried from the hospital morgue to the gates of the Oyo State Secretariat in Agodi, where the demonstrators demanded justice and a public statement from Governor Seyi Makinde.

Chants filled the air as protestors called for an overhaul of police procedures and urgent accountability. Several placards read “Our lives matter too,” and “Education, not execution.”

“This could have been anyone’s child,” said another protester, who asked to remain anonymous. “He was only trying to build his future, and now he’s gone because someone chose to fire a weapon in a crowded area.”

Security personnel were deployed to maintain order as tensions rose. Despite the growing public pressure, as of press time, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued a formal statement regarding the shooting. The identity of the officer responsible remains unconfirmed, and no arrest has been made in connection to the incident.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Nigeria, have condemned the shooting and called for a full, independent investigation into the matter.

“This incident reflects a dangerous pattern of unprofessional conduct and unchecked aggression among some members of the Nigerian police,” Amnesty said in a preliminary statement. “Young lives cannot continue to be collateral damage.”

The body of the deceased student has since been deposited at the Adeoyo Hospital mortuary, and grief-stricken members of the community have continued to gather there to pay respects.

Many citizens now fear for the safety of students across the country, particularly those commuting long distances during national examinations.

In response to mounting anger, civil society groups are planning a candlelight procession and peaceful demonstration in Ibadan over the coming days.

As the investigation unfolds—or fails to—the people of Ibadan and Nigeria at large await justice for a young life lost in the most senseless way.