Odunayo Alade, whose 15-year-old son Kehinde Alade was tragically killed by a stray police bullet in Ibadan, has spoken publicly for the first time, offering a detailed account of the events that led to the incident.
His statement was made in a tone of grief and confusion, as he attempted to clarify his actions on the day of the fatal shooting.
According to Mr. Alade, he had been driving his children to school after stopping briefly to inflate his vehicle’s tyre at a nearby vulcaniser. Upon resuming his journey, his car was approached by another vehicle whose occupants, he later discovered, were officials of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA). Their identities were not initially known to him, and in the heat of the moment, a confrontation ensued when the officials attempted to stop his car and allegedly struck it.
Feeling threatened and seeking to avoid further confrontation, Mr. Alade reversed and drove against traffic, a move he described as unintentional and driven by panic. It was during this chaotic moment that a misunderstanding occurred, reportedly causing the police to mistake him for a suspect. The situation escalated tragically, culminating in the shooting that claimed Kehinde’s life.
This account has shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the incident, emphasizing the role of confusion and misidentification in what has now become a deeply mourned case of police violence and procedural failure.
Watch the video below;
The father of Kehinde Alade, a WAEC student who was shøt deåd yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the Nigerian police, has come forward to share how the tragic incident unfolded. pic.twitter.com/JhiiGUPpQZ
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) May 21, 2025
“I take them to school every day and, in the afternoon, if I’m chanced, I pick them back home. There were about five children in the car. While some were going to the Olatundun area, others were going to Olabidan. I had just pumped my tyre and was about to leave when I noticed a vehicle approaching. I didn’t know it belonged to OYRTMA.
“As soon as I saw them, I moved, but they tried to stop me and hit my car. I then reversed to bypass them, not knowing that four other vehicles were chasing me.
“As their towing vehicle hit my car, I maneuvered and escaped. Then, I heard a gunshot. My son was shouting ‘Daddy, daddy’ from the back seat. I tried to calm him, thinking we had left the danger zone. Unknown to me, the stray bullet had hit him. It was his twin brother who screamed, ‘Daddy, stop! Kenny has been shot!
The grieving father said he had panicked, thinking he was being wrongly targeted, and only wanted to get his children to school safely.
But his worst fear became reality. Amid the chaos, a police officer reportedly fired a shot that struck Kehinde, who was sitting at the back of the car.
“As I parked to bring the boy out, the policemen and traffic officials were still running after me. I held onto one of them. People gathered and rushed the boy to the hospital. From there, he was taken to UCH. Sadly, when we got there, he gave up the ghost,” he painfully recounted.
Now in mourning, Alade — who has been raising his children alone since separating from their mother seven years ago — says he is devastated and is calling for justice.
“Their mother abandoned us seven years ago, and I made a promise to myself to give my children the best life possible. I’ve worked tirelessly to provide for them, often sacrificing my own needs.
“I’ve turned down opportunities to remarry because I wanted to focus on raising my kids. I often wonder which woman would accept me and my situation without jeopardizing their well-being.
“I’ve done everything I could to give my children a good life. Kehinde had dreams. He loved school. That life is gone now — and for what? A reckless chase over nothing.”
Alade insisted he was never a suspect and had no idea why the officers reacted the way they did.
“They saw I had children in the car. I wasn’t doing anything wrong beyond trying to get my kids to school. They misjudged me.”
He added, “This cannot go unpunished. I want those responsible to be held accountable. No parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child in such a senseless manner.
“Kehinde was a bright boy with dreams and aspirations. He loved school and was excited about his future. Now, all of that has been stolen from us.
“I need to understand why this happened. My son had so much potential, and it feels incredibly unfair that his life was cut short due to a reckless decision by those who are supposed to protect us. I demand answers, and I want to ensure no other family suffers this kind of loss.”