Manhunt launched by Police as stray bullet kills fourteen year old Boy

Manhunt launched by Police as stray bullet kills fourteen year old Boy

The Osun State Police Command has launched a manhunt for suspected hoodlums following the killing of a 14-year-old boy, Ezekiel Olapade, during a shooting incident near the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Ilobu.

Police said the teenager was struck by a stray bullet when armed men opened fire in the area on Sunday afternoon, while another person sustained gunshot injuries and was receiving treatment in hospital.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the command, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said investigations had commenced and efforts were underway to arrest the principal suspect, identified as Saheed, popularly known as “Tanfeani,” and other accomplices linked to the attack.

“The incident happened this afternoon near the entrance of the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Ilobu. One Saheed, also known as Tanfeani, came with other thugs and started shooting. In the process, a bullet hit Ezekiel Olapade, aged 14, and he died on the spot,” Ojelabi said.

According to the police, the second victim, whose identity had yet to be confirmed, suffered gunshot wounds during the attack and was being treated at a medical facility.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the gunmen had gathered around the council secretariat and were allegedly attempting to gain entry into the premises before spotting a man wearing a cap bearing the colours of a political party at a nearby palm wine joint.

The relaxation spot, located opposite the secretariat and reportedly owned by the deceased’s mother, was said to be occupied by several patrons when the attackers approached.

A resident who witnessed the incident and requested anonymity said panic erupted as the gunmen opened fire indiscriminately, forcing people to flee for safety.

“We were all relaxing there when the incident happened. As soon as we saw the armed men advancing towards us, everybody started running.

“The boy who died was probably not the target of those hoodlums. They were shooting in our direction and, in the confusion, Ezekiel was hit by a bullet and died on the spot,” the witness said.

The witness further claimed that the injured victim was the individual wearing the political party-coloured cap.

The police said the suspects remain at large but assured residents that security operatives were intensifying efforts to apprehend all those involved and ensure they face justice.