The father of the WAEC candidate who was tragically shot in Ibadan on Wednesday, Mr. Odunayo Alade, has explained why he did not stop when flagged down by traffic enforcement officials.
In an emotional interview on Thursday, Mr. Alade said he was trying to ensure his son, Kehinde Alade, arrived at his 8:30 a.m. examination on time and feared that stopping would result in unnecessary delays.
“I didn’t realise they were trying to stop me until they hit my vehicle,” he said. “You know how government officials operate in Nigeria, once they get hold of you, there’s no telling when they’ll let you go. My son’s exam was too important to risk that.”
He recounted the moment he realised something had gone wrong.
“After I passed them, I heard a gunshot, but I didn’t stop. My son started shouting ‘Daddy!’ and I even scolded him, saying that we had already left the police behind, until his twin brother screamed that Kehinde had been shot, and I pulled over. When I brought him out of the car, the whole area was soaked in blood.”
Mr. Alade added that he was unaware the officers had continued to pursue them.
“I didn’t know they were still coming after me. When I saw them again, I confronted one of them.”
He also shared that Kehinde had recently expressed a desire to become a lawyer.
“Just last week, he told me he wanted to be a lawyer when he grows up,” he said.
The incident has sparked outrage across the city, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the use of force by security operatives.
