Why I refused to stop for law enforcement officers -Slain WASSCE student’s father

The father of the WAEC candidate who was tragically shot dead in Ibadan yesterday, Mr. Odunayo Alade, has explained the circumstances that led to the fatal incident involving his son, Kehinde Alade.

In an emotional interview with the press today, Mr. Alade said he did not initially stop when security personnel flagged him down because he was rushing to ensure one of his sons arrived at the examination centre before the scheduled 8:30 AM WAEC paper.

According to Mr. Alade, his decision was influenced by previous experiences and concerns about unnecessary delays from security agents. “You know how Nigerian government officers work—once you fall into their traps, anything can happen. My son had an 8:30 exam, and I couldn’t risk them delaying him,” he explained.

He further recounted that he was unaware officers were still pursuing him until he heard a gunshot. “I didn’t realize they were trying to stop me until they hit my vehicle. After I left them, I heard a gunshot but didn’t stop immediately. Then one of the boys in the car started shouting ‘Daddy!’ I even shouted back, thinking the danger was over—until his twin brother told me Kehinde had been shot,” he narrated.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Immediately, I parked, pulled him out, and saw that the car was soaked in blood. I didn’t know the officers were still behind me. When I saw them again, I managed to disarm one of them,” he added.

Mr. Alade revealed that five of his children were in the car at the time of the incident. The deceased, Kehinde Alade, was a twin and had recently shared his dream of becoming a lawyer. “He told me just last week that he wanted to become a lawyer when he grows up,” the grieving father said.

The incident has sparked outrage across the community, with many calling for justice and accountability for the tragic loss of a young life with a promising future.