A grieving father, Olugbemiga Olapade, has recounted the heartbreaking moments that led to the death of his 14-year-old son, Ezekiel, who was allegedly killed by a stray bullet during a shooting attack linked to suspected political thugs in Ilobu, Osun State.
Speaking to journalists, Olapade said his son lost his life while trying to help his injured mother after gunmen opened fire near the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat on Sunday afternoon.
According to him, the attack began around 2:45 p.m. when armed men arrived in a branded bus and started shooting indiscriminately, forcing residents, traders and passersby to flee for safety.
“My wife and children ran when the shooting started, but my wife fell into a gutter and got injured,” he said.
“Ezekiel had already escaped. But when he heard that his mother had fallen and was hurt, he turned back to help her while the gunmen were still firing.”
Olapade alleged that the attackers appeared to be pursuing a man wearing a yellow cap, even though the cap had no political party insignia. He said the gunmen chased the man through the area while continuing to shoot.
“One man around us was wearing a yellow cap. When they saw him, they started chasing him and shooting. My son was also running for safety,” he recalled.
After the attackers left, the injured man reportedly returned and informed residents that he had been shot. Olapade said he immediately rushed him to a nearby palace where arrangements were made to get medical attention.
While attending to the wounded victim, he received a distressing phone call from his wife.
“She called me and said she couldn’t find Ezekiel. I started searching everywhere, including his friend’s house, but nobody had seen him,” he said.
The search later ended in tragedy.
“Some people eventually told me where he was. When I got there, I found my son’s lifeless body.”
Olapade claimed that police officers were present in the area during the attack but failed to intervene as the shooting unfolded.
The incident occurred opposite the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Ilobu, close to a palm wine joint operated by Ezekiel’s mother.
Confirming the incident earlier, Osun State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the attack was allegedly carried out by a suspect identified as Saheed, popularly known as Tanfeani, along with other armed accomplices.
According to the police, Ezekiel was struck by a stray bullet during the shooting and died from his injuries, while another victim is currently receiving treatment in hospital.
The command said efforts were ongoing to arrest the prime suspect and other members of the group, who remain on the run.
However, in a video circulated on Facebook and seen by Tribune Online, Tanfeani denied any involvement in the attack. He claimed he was in Osogbo, not Ilobu, when the incident happened and alleged that members of the ruling Accord Party were falsely linking him to the killing.
“I have never killed anyone,” the suspect said in the video.
The killing has sparked outrage in Ilobu, with residents and community leaders demanding justice for the slain teenager and stronger action against political violence in the state.
