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

Odunayo

Odunayo Alade, father of Kehinde Alade, the WASSCE candidate who was killed by a stray bullet at Gbagi Market Road, Ibadan, in the Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State on Tuesday, said that he didn’t stop for law enforcement agents because his son was running late for his examination.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that the teenager was hit by a stray bullet fired by a police officer while he was on his way to sit for the ongoing WASSCE in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The deceased was in his father’s car, heading to the exam centre, when the incident happened.

Speaking in an interview with News Central at his home in Ibadan, the state capital on Wednesday, Alade denied breaking the one-way traffic law.

According to him, the road he used was just a stone’s throw from the main lane and it is a regular route for drivers in the area.

“I was taking the children to school yesterday morning and at the entrance of my junction, there is maybe a stone’s throw, not up to one pole or two poles, to where we just follow and then branch to normal way. I had to gauge my tyre.

“To my surprise, I saw OYTMA. They came and blocked me, even hit my vehicle and I had to reverse to bypass them.

“While trying to leave that spot, and another vehicle, a towing vehicle hit me again so I had to maneuver my way,” Alade said.

When asked why his vehicle was hit, he said he had no idea as he denied driving through a one-way route.

“I don’t know. I won’t say one-way because the place is a very short distance.

“To them, they said I followed one-way, and I let them know that this is the road all the neighbourhood use. It’s a very short distance to the main junction,” he added.