The Oyo State Police Command has said forensic evidence has disproved the allegation that two police officers attached to Agodi Divisional Police Headquarters, Ibadan, shot one Nurudeen Azeez during an incident on August 16, 2021.
The Command, in a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the allegation had been investigated and concluded in 2021, but was resurfacing following a viral video and newspaper publication.
According to the police, the incident occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on August 16, 2021, when Inspector Gbenga Ayodele and Sergeant Ayilaran Boluwaji, both attached to Agodi Division, were on official night-duty at the vicinity of Koltol Hotel, Ikolaba, Ibadan.
The officers were reportedly approached by a motorist who informed them that he was being pursued by armed robbers.
The Command said shortly afterwards, gunshots were heard from the direction of Bino Hotel, Ikolaba, prompting the two officers to move towards the area to ascertain what had happened. Reinforcement was subsequently deployed while investigation commenced.
During a forensic sweep of the scene, investigators reportedly recovered a locally fabricated pistol.
The police said eyewitness information indicated that a pillion rider on a motorcycle had been shot and taken to Molly Specialist Hospital, Idi-Ape, Ibadan, by members of the public. The victim was later transferred to Kehinde Ege Traditional Hospital, Asanke, Idi-Aro, where pellets were extracted from his body.
The Command explained that an attempt to obtain a statement from the victim was unsuccessful at the time because he was still receiving intensive medical care.
It added that the victim’s elder brother, Nurudeen Musa, later told investigators that he witnessed the removal of the projectiles and that 15 pellets were extracted, with 13 documented and six registered as exhibits.
According to the police, the two officers alleged to have shot Azeez were investigated, while their duty and firearm records were obtained.
The records showed that the officers had signed out two AK-47 rifles for their assignment that night. The rifles were subsequently subjected to forensic examination to establish whether they were connected to the shooting.
The Command said the forensic examination established that neither of the two AK-47 rifles had been fired in connection with the incident.
It further stated that the pellets extracted from the victim were not consistent with AK-47 ammunition, adding that there was therefore no ballistic or forensic evidence linking either of the police-issued firearms to the injury sustained by Azeez.
In contrast, the locally fabricated pistol recovered at the scene reportedly showed characteristics consistent with recent discharge when subjected to forensic examination.
However, the police noted that the finding alone could not establish who fired the pistol.
“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 Command stated.
It acknowledged that the victim sustained a genuine gunshot injury but maintained that the available evidence did not establish the identity of the person responsible for the shooting.
The Command therefore urged members of the public, media practitioners and social media users to exercise caution when reporting or sharing allegations, particularly where the findings of a concluded investigation are available.
It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and evidence-based investigation of allegations of police misconduct, while respecting the rights of all persons.
The statement was signed electronically by DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Police Command, on August 8, 2026
