Officers detained as police probe ‘murder’ of student in Ogbomoso

The Oyo state police command has detained some officers involved in the alleged killing of a student at a nightclub in Ogbomoso.

Damilola Iyanda, the deceased student, was allegedly gunned down by a police officer on Monday.

Iyanda was said to have been caught up in a physical altercation between some Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology (LAUTECH) students.

The student was said to have been shot after the club owner had invited the police — when the fight escalated — to put the situation under control.

The officer was alleged to have fired sporadically into the air and in the process, shot Iyanda dead and injured two others.

The incident caused tension among some students who staged a brief protest but shelved the protest due to the ongoing convocation activities at LAUTECH.

The protesters also demanded a probe into the alleged killing of the student.

In a statement signed by Adewale Osifeso, the command spokesperson, on Thursday, the law enforcement agency said it had detained officers led by one Rasheed Saheed at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku.

The statement added that the commissioner of police ordered that the case be taken up by the homicide department of the SCID with the deputy commissioner of police directly in charge of the investigations.

“The Oyo State Police Command wishes to clear the air about the unfortunate shooting incident that occurred on Monday 22/4/2024 at about 0130hrs around a popular Night Club along, “Under G” Area, Owode-Ogbomoso resulting in the demise of Iyanda Damilola, ‘m’,” it reads.

“In a swift response to the call by the Club Director, A team of officers led by one Insp Rasheed Saheed arrived at the scene. The fracas worsened as deliberate efforts were made by the suspected cultists to prevent the Police from further gaining access into the crime scene while shots were allegedly fired from different angles including from the intervening officers who fired warning shots to disperse onlookers.

“The incident recorded the death of one Iyanda Damilola, ‘m’, and the injury of his brother, one Iyanda Femi Israel who has since been discharged from the hospital after treatment. Worthy of note is that the CP has ordered that the case be taken up by the Homicide Department of the State Criminal Investigation Department with the Deputy Commissioner of Police directly in charge of the investigations.

“All the Operatives involved in the incident including Inspr Rasheed Saheed are currently under detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku. Lastly, the Oyo State Police Command assures members of the public particularly the Student Community of the swift dispensation of Justice.”

Lekan Fadeyi, the LAUTECH spokesperson, earlier argued that the deceased was not a student of the institution, adding that he “came from Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo”.