A tragic case of mistaken identity led to a near-fatal shooting when a night guard, Mr. Akeem Babalola, shot a 13-year-old boy, Olaitan Tiamiyu, whom he had mistaken for a thief.
The incident occurred on Monday night in the Wajawaja Community, Apete, when the teenager was on his father’s motorcycle. According to reports, the night guard suspected the rider to be an intruder after he failed to stop when flagged down
The victim’s father, Alhaji Monsuru Tiamiyu, was on his way home with his son when they encountered a group of men with flashlights.
Fearing they were robbers, he accelerated past them. Moments later, a gunshot rang out, striking Olaitan in the thigh, buttock, and back, while his father sustained a minor injury.
Realizing his son had been shot, Alhaji Tiamiyu turned back to confront the shooter, only to discover it was a familiar face. The other two guards with Babalola reportedly fled upon recognizing him.
In the aftermath, a distress call was made to family members and neighbors, who arrived at the scene and allegedly beat up the night guard, leaving him unconscious.
From his hospital bed, the Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) student recounted the harrowing experience.
“As we were on the road, we saw flashlights and men standing on both sides. We thought they were robbers, so my father sped up. As we were about to take a turn, one of them fired at us. I felt my leg go numb and saw blood flowing,” Olaitan narrated.
His father, in shock and anger, immediately restrained the shooter while the other guards fled. The boy was later taken to a local doctor, who extracted 11 pellets from his body.
Defending his actions, 55-year-old Babalola, who also runs a concrete block business, claimed he had no intention of harming anyone.
“We usually resume duty at 11 p.m. At around 11:50 p.m., I saw a motorcycle approaching but then turning away abruptly. I suspected the rider to be a thief. When he returned around 12:10 a.m. and refused to stop when we waved at him, I feared he was trying to evade capture. I didn’t realize my finger was on the trigger until the gun went off,” Babalola explained.
He added that he recognized the father after the incident and urged him to take the boy to a hospital. However, he was soon surrounded and attacked by an angry mob.
Oy State Police Command through its spokesperson, CSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident and assured that investigations are ongoing.
Authorities have urged calm as they work to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and prevent a repeat of such unfortunate event