A young man was reportedly shot by police officers near Oyun Bridge in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday afternoon during an alleged confrontation between the officers and a group of young men believed to be students.
The incident occurred along the Oyun Bridge–Fate Roundabout axis, where residents have previously raised concerns about alleged harassment of young people by security operatives.
A video circulating online showed the injured man lying unconscious on the ground before several police officers carried him into a police van.
According to a resident who witnessed the aftermath, the confrontation involved police officers who regularly patrol the area and a group of young men believed to be students of Kwara State Polytechnic.
“It started like a random altercation between some policemen that always patrol between Oyun Bridge and Fate Roundabout and some young guys who appeared to be students of Kwara Poly,” the resident said.
The resident alleged that young people in the area are frequently stopped by police officers and accused of internet fraud, with some allegedly subjected to extortion.
“The police always use that to extort these students. Many of them always run away from the police,” the resident alleged.
The resident claimed the confrontation escalated before one of the young men was shot.
“So I heard that the police, in their usual ways, were trying to extort these young guys and things escalated and he was shot,” the resident said.
The video also captured an eyewitness screaming as the injured man lay on the ground.
“They have shot this innocent man. The unfortunate police officers have shot him dead,” the eyewitness was heard saying.
The footage showed several police officers surrounding the victim before carrying him into their van and leaving the scene.
However, it could not immediately be independently confirmed whether the victim died from the shooting. The resident said the injured man was reportedly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The identity of the victim, as well as the circumstances surrounding the shooting, remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Kwara State Police Command, including its spokesperson, DSP Ejire Toun, were unsuccessful as of press time.
The police have yet to publicly provide details about the incident, including the identities of the officers involved and whether an investigation has commenced.
Authorities are expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the shooting and provide an update on the condition of the victim.
