Police Stray Bullet Kills Two Persons In Ekiti While 'Attempting To Retrieve Vehicle For Motorist Who Fled After Hitting Motorbike Rider'

On Tuesday night, two individuals tragically lost their lives due to a stray bullet fired during a shooting incident in the Cele area, near Omisanjana in Ado-Ekiti, the capital city of Ekiti State.

One of the deceased persons was identified as Taiwo.

"He went to technical college, Ado-Ekiti. He’s a married man with kids," a source told SaharaReporters.

SaharaReporters learnt that the police officer who fired the shot was protecting some people who fled to AKS Anti-Kidnapping Squad after hitting a motorbike rider and some others with their vehicle.  

It was learnt that rather than care for the victims of their "reckless driving," they went to get some police personnel to assist in retrieving their vehicle from the scene, fearing that eyewitnesses would prevent them from doing so until they had taken the accident victims to the hospital.

An eyewitness who narrated the incident to SaharaReporters said, "What I witnessed myself was that a particular car hit a bikeman yesterday after Cele Omisanjana around 8:32 pm. And the accident was so serious.

"But for the guys who were inside the car that hit the bikeman and others to show concern and care, they ran to police (AKS Anti-Kidnapping squad), in particular to come and help them retrieve their vehicle from the scene of the accident.

"On getting there, the community people there were so angry towards the gesture of the driver who hit the man and two other person that you guys didn’t even have human feelings, 'how can you hit someone and run to police to come help you retrieve your vehicle without even taking care of those you’ve injured?'

"Those community people now rejected the intervention of the police (RRS Squad) that they should first go and treat the injured people. And those police officers said nobody can tell them what to do, that they must rescue the car by force."

"This caused a lot of noise and for the police to have their way, they started shooting sporadically and stray bullets hit two people on the spot. One died instantly while the other person for now I can’t really give account of his whereabouts," the eyewitness added.

When SaharaReporters contacted the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Abutu Sunday, he sent a statement giving another account.

He, however, noted that the police commissioner had ordered an investigation into the incident. 

He said, "On 28/05/2024 at about 22:30hrs, a serious motorvehicle/motorcycle accident occurred involving a Lexus car and a Jincheng motorcycle along Omisanjana Area of Ado-Ekiti.

"The Command, upon the receipt of the information, deployed the State Traffic Section to the scene to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order as well as ensuring the safety of the victims.

"On getting to the scene, the operatives met a resistance as some irate youths disallowed them from performing their lawful duty and insisted on carrying out jungle justice. This necessitated a call for re-enforcement to assist the officers on ground.

"However, in the process, one of the officers accidentally fired a shot that fatally injured two persons.

"The officer responsible for the shooting has been disarmed, arrested and detained and shall be made to face disciplinary action immediately.

"While the Command is already in touch with the two families of the deceased, the Ekiti State Commissioner of police, CP Akinwale Kunle Adeniran, condoles with the families and assure them that discreet investigation has commenced and justice shall prevail."

In a tweet, the police command also said, "The Ekiti State Police Command sincerely sympathizes with the families of deceased in a fatal shooting incident that occurred yesterday around Omisanjana, Ado-Ekiti.

"Be rest assured that the officer that shot who is from the Anti-Kidnapping Squad has been detained. He will be fully investigate and made to face the full wrath of the law."