Adesagba Adekoya, executive chairman of the Oyo State Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), says Odunayo Alade, father of Kehinde, the teenager killed by a stray bullet in Ibadan on Tuesday, is a serial traffic offender.
Adekoya spoke on Thursday during a press briefing to give an update on the incident.
Kehinde was killed in the Gbagi area of Ibadan, the state capital, during a police and OYRTMA’s operatives’ chase of his father’s car over an alleged traffic violation.
The teenager was taken to Welfare Hospital and then transferred to University College Hospital (UCH), where he was confirmed dead.
According to the OYRTMA boss, Alade was arrested and fined N15,000 on May 14 for wrongful parking — less than a week before his son’s death.
He noted that the agency sought the partnership of the police in traffic law enforcement in the state to protect its operatives against assault.
“This year alone, about eight of our personnel have been assaulted with serious injuries,” Adekoya said.
“People are always very aggressive to our personnel. They like to disobey the traffic law, and this is why we require security backup in our activities,” he said.
Abiodun Obisesan, OYRTMA spokesperson, confirmed that the agency had received evidence of Alade’s alleged offence.
“The father of the victim is a recalcitrant and obstinate traffic offender. It was stated with evidence of his payment at a press briefing today by the chairman,” Obisesan said.
However, Alade had earlier said he did not stop when cornered by the officials because his other son had an examination at 8:30 am and did not want him to be delayed.
Meanwhile, the Oyo state police command said a report of its investigation into Kehinde’s death would be out soon.
The command had said that the police corporal who fired the shot and other members of his team had been taken into custody.
Speaking about the development on Thursday, Johnson Adenola, commissioner of police in Oyo, said the investigation was almost complete and gave assurances that justice would be done.
Adenola said an interim report on the matter is ready, noting that the statement of the deceased’s father has not been obtained to conclude the investigation.
The commissioner explained that the statement of the officer who took the shot had been obtained, adding that it is important to get Alade’s statement for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
He described the incident as a “monumental and regrettable loss” while commiserating with the Alade family.
“We feel for the family. We will give the father an opportunity to provide his defence,” Adenola said.
“He is the only factor delaying the completion of the investigation.
“We have also gotten the statement of an eyewitness who was inside the car with him (father), and I assured that justice will be done on the matter.”
