LAUTECH: Slain corper’s family seeks justice, cops nabbed

The family of Damilola Iyanda, a member of the National Youth Service Corps who was reportedly killed, on Tuesday, in a police shooting in the under-G area of Ogbomoso Local Government Area of Oyo State, has demanded an investigation into his death.

In an exclusive interview with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, an uncle of the deceased, Lawrence Iyanda, said the incident had devastated their family.

PUNCH Metro reported on Tuesday that Damilola was allegedly shot by a police officer deployed to the scene of a fracas that ensued during an after-party of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, convocation ceremony held outside the school premises.

During the incident, Oluwafemi Iyanda, the younger brother to Damilola and a graduate at the convocation ceremony, also sustained gunshot injuries.

Our correspondent gathered that Damilola, who was the first child of his parents, was an easygoing and calm person who often avoided trouble.

Iyanda added that Damilola had always nurtured the dream of becoming a renowned civil engineer before his untimely death.

He said, “When we got the news of the incident on Tuesday, it was shocking to us because Damilola used to be an easy-going and calm child who often avoided trouble. He was sent by his parents to go and represent the family at his brother’s convocation, and he still spoke with his dad up until 10 pm. on Monday.

“The parents have been devastated since the incident happened. I just kept consoling them with the fact that one of their children was alive. I can’t just imagine how it would have been if we had lost both children.”

Iyanda, however, urged the Oyo State Government to ensure justice was served on the matter.

“I have gone to the morgue where his body is deposited, and I also visited the injured brother. I can’t just imagine such callousness from the officer.

“Our appeal to the Oyo State Government is that it should come to our aid and ensure that justice is served in the matter. It is not easy to have trained a child out of school and eventually lost him to someone whose duty was to protect them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command, in a statement on Thursday, announced the arrest of some officers, led by one inspector, who was said to have been involved in the alleged shooting that led to the death of Damilola.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, said the officers had been detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku.

Osifeso added that the Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola, had 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.

He said, “The command wishes to clear the air about the unfortunate shooting incident that occurred, on Monday, April 22, 2024, at about 0130 hours around a popular nightclub along, “Under G” area, Owode-Ogbomoso, resulting in the demise of Damilola, ‘m’.

“The investigation report reveals that during the early hours of the same date and time, a distress call was received by operatives of the command’s Monitoring Unit stationed within Ogbomoso through the director of a popular nightclub within the axis, requesting immediate intervention and protection from rampaging suspected student cultists who were at the time harassing guests and destroying club property.”

The statement noted that in a swift response to the call by the club director, a team of officers led by one Inspector arrived at the scene.

According to the statement, the altercation worsened as deliberate efforts were made by the suspected cultists to prevent the police from further gaining access to the crime scene as 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 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 SCID with the Deputy Commissioner of Police directly in charge of the investigations,” the statement said.

He said all the officers involved in the incident were currently under detention at the SCID, Iyaganku.

Osifeso assured members of the public, particularly the student community, of the swift dispensation of justice.

In a further development, the management of LAUTECH, on Thursday, said it was monitoring the health condition of its former student who was injured during the recent shooting in the town.

In a statement by its Registrar, Kayode Ogunleye,

LAUTECH confirmed that an ex-student of the university, Iyanda Femi Israel, who is a graduate of the Department of Management and Accounting, sustained a gunshot injury during the incident, which occurred in a club outside the university.

Ogunleye said, “The management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, has taken the time to find out the true position of things on the fracas that led to the shooting that took place outside the university on April 23, 2024. It is on this basis that the university is making this release.

The university disclosed that it had confirmed that an ex-student of the university, Iyanda Israel, a graduate of the Department of Management and Accounting, sustained a gunshot injury during the incident.

“Furthermore, information made available to the management confirmed that the person who was reportedly shot dead was neither a student nor a graduate of the university. While commiserating with friends and family of the deceased, the university management reiterates her commitment to the safety and welfare of staff and students.

“Meanwhile, necessary actions are already being taken to monitor the health of the injured ex-student. Staff and students are hereby enjoined to maintain the peace on the campus while going about their lawful business.” The statement added.