OYO, Nigeria – A heated altercation between a police officer and a group of alleged ‘Yahoo boys’ in Moniya, Akinyele Local Government Area, resulted in the officer’s death and left the community in a state of panic.
The incident occurred near King’s College on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, causing chaos in the area as vehicles made U-turns to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Eyewitnesses described how officers initially stopped the alleged ‘Yahoo boys’ on a routine stop-and-search operation. The situation escalated quickly, leading to an exchange of gunfire and the officer’s fatal injury.
“They made an attempt to arrest those guys, but people resisted,” said one eyewitness, who chose to remain anonymous.
Another witness added, “Moniya boiled today (Tuesday). One police officer was hit by a stray bullet during an argument with some boys and he died.”
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement by its spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso.
Seven people have been arrested, and 12 motorcycles have been impounded in connection with the tragic event.
The deceased officer’s body has been taken to the state morgue for post-mortem examination.
Osifeso explained that the patrol team, led by Inspector Stanley Ikhine, was acting on credible intelligence to deter criminal activity in the area.
The officers flagged down a suspicious Lexus 350 SUV, which initially complied before attempting to evade the police. A high-speed chase ensued, ending with the vehicle driving into a garage where hoodlums were waiting to assist in the criminals’ escape.
The police spokesperson said, “The hoodlums attacked the officers unprovoked and attempted forcefully dragging a rifle from one of the officers, which led to a shot being discharged from the barrel during the process of the struggle.”
The officer suffered a severe blow to the skull and ultimately lost his life while trying to protect his firearm.
Osifeso assured the public that further updates on the case would be provided as the investigation continues.
