The tragic killing of a teenage boy in Ibadan, Oyo State, by the police has sparked widespread outrage on social media, particularly on X, where the hashtags #NigeriaPolice and #EndPoliceBrutality are trending.
It all began when a police officer, attempting to stop a suspected vehicle, accidentally shot and killed an innocent schoolboy who was in a car with his father.
Users on the X platform have expressed their anger and disbelief over the situation.
@laudo4u condemned the officer’s action as “outrageous” and criticized the excessive use of force, emphasizing that this behaviour is unacceptable and highlights a deeper problem within the nation’s security forces.
He said: “This is outrageous, excessive, and utterly unreasonable. Firing shots while chasing suspected fr@udsters, leading to the death of an innocent boy, is both atrocious and deeply condemnable.
“Such reckless behaviour is unacceptable, and those responsible must face the full consequences of their actions. Above all, this is a temporary fix.
“At this point, there’s a foundational problem in the security forces of this nation.”
Another X user @Imbregnabilis questioned why police officers would fire at a vehicle without confirming whether the driver was armed, suggesting that law enforcement should have tracked down the suspect more professionally.
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He commented by saying “what are they shooting at a fraudster’s car for? Is he armed? What happens to getting the plate number and tracking him down?
“When will NPF learn to act professionally?”
Further concerns were raised about the assumptions made by the police, with one user questioning how authorities could label a random youth in a car as a fraudster without evidence.
@Doncrypt101 said: “My question is how do you even conclude that a random youth who drives a car is a fraudster without any conviction and resorted to firing guns at them even without them being a wanted person or a threat to the road they were using?”
@SavvyScribe said: “People that are meant to protect our lives are now the ones taking it💔. What have we done to the Nigeria Police Force? This case must be investigated appropriately and transparently
Many are now calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident, expressing heartbreak that those meant to protect citizens have instead caused harm.
