 and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) have urged authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Kehinde Alade by a police officer in Ibadan, Oyo State.){kind=link}
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) have urged authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Kehinde Alade by a police officer in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Kehinde was struck by a stray bullet while seated inside his father’s car on Tuesday, sparking renewed nationwide outrage over police brutality and the persistent lack of accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies.
The young boy was among five people traveling in the vehicle driven by his father at the time of the incident.
Kehinde’s older brother, Emmanuel, was on his way to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
NBA President Afam Osigwe condemned the shooting and dismissed attempts to justify it based on the claim that the father was driving against traffic.
“It is deeply regrettable that the tragedy is being rationalized by focusing on a supposed traffic violation. No innocent life lost can ever be excused,” Osigwe said.
“Police officers are not permitted to open fire on a vehicle simply because traffic laws may have been broken. Such reckless use of firearms is unacceptable and unbecoming of any trained officer.”
Echoing these concerns, Debo Adeniran, National President of the CDHR, called for a clear and unbiased inquiry into the incident, describing the killing as a grave violation of the child’s fundamental right to life.
“The right to life is the most fundamental of all human rights. This shooting was a clear case of excessive force,” Adeniran stated.
“Law enforcement officers are trained to manage threats with restraint, not to resort to indiscriminate deadly force.”
He criticized the police justification that the father’s alleged traffic violation warranted the shooting, emphasizing that even if the children had not been present, firing a weapon recklessly could have endangered any occupant or passerby.
“In fact, had proper discretion been exercised, the driver might have been permitted to use the route if there was a genuine emergency,” Adeniran added.
The human rights leader called for the officer responsible, along with any accomplices, to be charged with murder and brought to justice, underscoring the need for accountability in the incident.