Odunayo Alade, the father of 15-year-old Kehinde Alade who was killed by a stray police bullet in Ibadan, has broken his silence — explaining why he drove against traffic on the day of the fatal incident.
Speaking amidst tears and deep sorrow, Alade revealed he had no intention of breaking the law but was caught in a moment of confusion and panic after an encounter with traffic officials spiraled out of control.
“I was only trying to get my children to school,” he said. “That morning, I had just pumped my tyre at a nearby vulcaniser. As I was leaving, a car approached and tried to stop me. I didn’t know they were traffic officials.”
According to him, the officials from the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) hit his car while attempting to stop him.
In a bid to avoid further confrontation or damage, he reversed and tried to escape — unaware he was being mistaken for a suspect.
“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! Taiwo 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.”
The Inspector-General of Police has since ordered a full investigation into the incident, and one officer has reportedly been taken into custody.
