Police say officers didn't shoot Ibadan graduate, share investigation results

The Oyo State Police Command has said that two of its officers did not shoot Nurudeen Azeez, a graduate of Ibadan Polytechnic, during a response to an armed robbery in 2021.

The police said forensic evidence cleared Inspector Gbenga Ayodele and Sergeant Ayilaran Boluwaji, who work at the Agodi Divisional Police Headquarters, of any involvement in the shooting.

This information was shared in a statement on Saturday by the command’s spokesman, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka. The statement highlighted the findings of an investigation that was completed in 2021. This comes after the case resurfaced in a viral video and a newspaper article.

The statement noted, "The allegation was investigated and concluded by the Command in 2021. Following its recent resurfacing in a viral video and newspaper publication, the Command considers it necessary to restate the findings of the investigation."

According to the police, the incident took place around 9pm on August 16, 2021. At that time, Ayodele and Boluwaji were on night duty near Koltol Hotel in Ikolaba, Ibadan.

A motorist approached them, saying that armed robbers were chasing him. After that, gunshots were heard from the direction of Bino Hotel, which led the officers to move towards the area.

The police said they sent reinforcements to help at the scene.

The statement added, "In the course of forensic sweep of the scene, a locally fabricated pistol was recovered."

Eyewitnesses reported that a motorcycle passenger was shot and taken to Molly Specialist Hospital, Idi-Ape, by people nearby.

Azeez was later taken to Kehinde Ege Traditional Hospital in Asanke, Idi-Aro, Ibadan, where doctors removed pellets from his body. Investigators could not get a statement from him at the time because he was in intensive care.

The police said Azeez’s elder brother, Nurudeen Musa, told investigators he saw the doctors remove the projectiles.

The police reported, "Fifteen pellets were removed. Thirteen were documented, while six were registered as exhibits."

The investigation included checking the two officers’ duty and firearm records.

The statement revealed, "The records confirmed that they had signed out two AK-47 rifles for their assignment that night."

Both rifles were tested for forensic evidence.

The police said, "The forensic examination established that neither AK-47 rifle had been fired in connection with the incident. In addition, the pellets extracted from the victim were not consistent with AK-47 ammunition."

The locally made pistol that was found was also examined.

The statement said, "Unlike the two police-issued rifles, the pistol showed characteristics consistent with recent discharge. However, this finding alone could not establish who fired the weapon."

The police concluded, "Based on the totality of the evidence, the investigation concluded that the allegation that either of the two police officers shot Nurudeen Azeez was not substantiated."

The statement added, "While the victim sustained a genuine gunshot injury, the evidence available did not establish the identity of the person responsible for the shooting."

The case got more attention after PUNCH published an interview this month. In it, Azeez shared how the shooting left him paralyzed and asked for help to regain the use of his legs.

He insisted that a police officer shot him and told him to stand up before leaving the scene.