Night Guard Shoots 13-Year-Old Boy Mistaken for Thief in Ibadan

A 13-year-old boy, Olaitan Tiamiyu, narrowly survived after being shot by a night guard who mistook him for a thief in the Wajawaja Community of Apete, Ibadan. The incident occurred on Monday night while the teenager was on a motorcycle with his father, Alhaji Monsuru Tiamiyu.

According to reports, the father had gone to pick up his son from his mother’s shop and was on their way home when they encountered a group of men with flashlights along the Apete-Akufo Road. Fearing they might be robbers, he accelerated past them. Moments later, a gunshot rang out, and Olaitan cried out in pain, realizing he had been hit in the thigh and back. His father also sustained a minor injury.

Shocked and angered, the father returned to confront the shooter, identified as Akeem Babalola, a 55-year-old night guard. On realizing the rider was someone he knew, Babalola allegedly tried to de-escalate the situation, but by then, the father had already called family members and neighbors. The commotion attracted a crowd, and the night guard was attacked until he lost consciousness. His two colleagues fled the scene.

Olaitan was rushed to a local doctor, who removed 11 pellets from his thigh, buttocks, and back, while Babalola was taken to a private hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Narrating his ordeal, the JSS3 student explained that they had initially intended to stop at another shop but decided against it because it was late. As they approached the roadblock, they saw the flashlights and assumed it was a robbery attempt, prompting his father to speed away. Shortly after, he heard the gunshot, felt a sudden numbness, and saw blood flowing from his wounds.

Babalola, who also runs a concrete block-making business, admitted to shooting the boy but insisted it was an accident. He claimed he suspected the motorcycle rider to be a thief after seeing him turn abruptly upon spotting their flashlights. When the rider later reappeared, Babalola said he and his colleagues signaled for him to stop, but he sped past them, nearly hitting one of the guards. He maintained that he did not intend to fire the shot and was unaware that his finger was on the trigger of his dane gun until it discharged.

Following the incident, tensions escalated as angry residents attacked Babalola, breaking bottles on his head and stabbing him in different places. He lost consciousness and later woke up in the hospital. The night guard dismissed allegations that he used charms to beat the complainant, questioning how someone under a spell could still stand and fight back.

The Oyo State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation was ongoing. Further updates are expected as the authorities look into the matter.