Kwara Police Deny Shooting Motorcyclist at Oyun Bridge, Explain Viral Video

The Kwara State Police Command has denied reports that its officers shot a 23-year-old motorcyclist during an incident at Oyun Bridge in Ilorin, saying the viral video that triggered the allegation did not accurately reflect what happened.

The command said Abdurasaq Lukman was not shot but sustained minor injuries after he allegedly rode at high speed and knocked down a police officer during a routine patrol and stop-and-search operation.

The clarification was issued on Wednesday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, following the circulation of a video on social media suggesting that the motorcyclist had been shot by police personnel.

According to the police, the incident occurred around Oyun Bridge, on the highway leading towards the Kwara State Polytechnic, where officers were conducting patrol and stop-and-search duties.

The command identified the police officer involved as Corporal Saka Azeez, saying Lukman allegedly knocked him down while riding at high speed.

The impact, according to the police account, left Corporal Azeez with serious head injuries and a fracture, while Lukman sustained minor injuries.

Other officers at the scene reportedly intervened and took both the injured police officer and the motorcyclist to a medical facility for treatment.

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• Osun APC Warns Adeleke Govt Over Alleged Victimisation of Local Govt Workers

The police said Lukman was treated and discharged but remains in police custody to assist with investigations into the incident.

Corporal Azeez, however, remains under medical care and is expected to undergo further medical examinations and scans to determine the full extent of his head injuries.

The command stressed that no person was shot during the incident, directly contradicting the claims accompanying the viral video.

The video had generated concern online, with earlier reports alleging that a young man had been shot by police officers around the bridge following an altercation involving police personnel and some young people reportedly believed to be students of the polytechnic.

Those earlier claims were not reflected in the police’s subsequent account of the incident.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, urged members of the public to exercise caution when sharing unverified information, particularly material circulating on social media.

He said the command recognised citizens’ concerns about police activities but stressed the importance of verifying information before sharing it in order to prevent unnecessary anxiety and misunderstanding.

The police clarification does not, however, end the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

With Lukman still in police custody and Corporal Azeez receiving medical treatment, the outcome of the investigation is expected to provide further details about the events at Oyun Bridge.

For now, the Kwara Police Command maintains that the motorcyclist was not shot, but was injured in a collision with the police officer, while the motorcyclist remains in custody as the investigation continues.

Kwara Police Deny Shooting Motorcyclist at Oyun Bridge, Explain Viral Video

Police Probe Alleged Self-Kidnapping of Adeleke’s Aide in Osun

The Osun State Police Command is investigating an alleged self-kidnapping involving Shakirulahi Babatunde, a media aide to Governor Ademola Adeleke, amid claims that the incident was intended to obtain money from government officials.

The controversy began after Babatunde reportedly sent a message claiming that he had been kidnapped, prompting the state government to alert the police.

According to Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, an incident report was immediately lodged with the police on the instruction of the governor’s Chief of Staff, Kazeem Akinleye.

The matter was subsequently referred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Osun State Police Command, which commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported abduction.

The development took a different turn after allegations emerged that Babatunde may have staged the incident himself in an attempt to extort money from the Osun State Government.

Reports said the alleged incident occurred in Ede, Osun State, with claims that the aide remained in a hideout while contacts were made concerning the purported kidnapping.

The state government has confirmed that the matter is under investigation but has rejected allegations that senior officials of the Adeleke administration are attempting to interfere with the process.

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• Tinubu, Fani-Kayode Face Proposed $36m US Lawsuit Over Alleged Threats
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Rasheed said the government had no reason to frustrate an investigation into a case that it had itself reported to the police.

He also denied reports that Akinleye or other officials attempted to influence police officers or pay them to suppress the investigation.

The spokesperson said the administration would wait for the outcome of the police probe before taking any further action.

The controversy has also triggered a fresh exchange between the Osun State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The opposition party alleged that some government officials initially publicised the reported kidnapping on social media and blamed opposition elements before the circumstances surrounding the case changed.

The APC further alleged that Babatunde was arrested by police officers attached to the Dugbe Division in Osogbo after he was allegedly traced to a hideout.

The party also claimed that the aide confessed to staging the alleged kidnapping.

However, the reported confession has not been independently established by a detailed public statement from the police.

The Osun State Police Command had not publicly released a comprehensive account of the alleged arrest, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the aide or any confession attributed to him as of the latest reports.

The government has therefore urged the public to allow law enforcement authorities to complete their investigation rather than rely on competing claims surrounding the incident.

The case has attracted attention because of Babatunde’s position as a media aide to Governor Adeleke and the wider political tension between the APC and the Osun Government.

The allegations also come against the background of continuing political disputes in Osun following the 2026 governorship election, won by Adeleke.

For now, the police investigation remains central to determining what happened and whether the reported kidnapping was deliberately staged.

While the state government says it promptly reported the matter and has denied interfering with the probe, the APC has raised allegations about the handling of the incident and called for a transparent investigation.

Until the police release their findings or a court makes a determination, claims that Babatunde deliberately staged his own kidnapping or sought to obtain money through the alleged abduction remain allegations.

Police Probe Alleged Self-Kidnapping of Adeleke’s Aide in Osun

Tinubu, Fani-Kayode Face Proposed $36m US Lawsuit Over Alleged Threats

A United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., has announced plans to file a $36 million federal lawsuit against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, over alleged threats against the firm’s principal, Dr Karl Von Batten.

The firm, which is working for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said it had been cleared and authorised to proceed with the proposed case at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the firm alleged that the planned action arose from threats to kidnap and physically harm Von Batten, which it attributed to Fani-Kayode.

It further alleged that the threats formed part of what it described as an organised criminal conspiracy involving the Nigerian Presidency.

The allegations have not been established by any court, and the proposed complaint had not been confirmed as filed in the US federal court as of Wednesday.

The firm said the proposed lawsuit would rely on provisions of District of Columbia tort law, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

It said the case involving President Tinubu would also raise questions concerning foreign sovereign immunity and head-of-state immunity while he remains in office.

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The firm further announced plans to engage immigration authorities in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union after filing the case, asking them to consider whether Fani-Kayode’s travel or visa status should be reviewed in light of the allegations.

However, any decision on immigration or visa matters would rest with the relevant government authorities.

The proposed lawsuit follows an escalating dispute between Von Batten-Montague-York and Fani-Kayode over the firm’s campaign concerning historical United States records linked to allegations involving President Tinubu.

The firm has in recent months pursued Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and litigation seeking access to US government records relating to Tinubu’s past dealings with American law-enforcement agencies.

It has also publicly criticised the Nigerian President and said it had shared documents concerning the matter with officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump, members of Congress and congressional staff.

Fani-Kayode has responded forcefully to the lobbyist’s campaign and has denied threatening to kidnap or harm Von Batten.

The former Aviation Minister said nobody was interested in killing or kidnapping Von Batten and accused him of making false claims against President Tinubu and the Nigerian government.

Fani-Kayode also said he intended to challenge Von Batten’s claims through lawful means.

The dispute has attracted additional attention because of the political relationship between Von Batten’s firm and Atiku Abubakar, who is seeking to challenge Tinubu politically.

Von Batten-Montague-York has presented the proposed litigation as a response to alleged threats against its principal, while Fani-Kayode has rejected the allegations.

The $36 million lawsuit remains at the proposed-litigation stage. The firm’s announcement that it had been authorised to proceed does not by itself establish that a federal complaint has been filed or that the allegations have been proven.

If the complaint is filed, the US court would have to consider the claims and any jurisdictional or immunity issues raised by the defendants. The filing itself would not establish the truth of the allegations.

For now, the central claims remain disputed, with Von Batten-Montague-York alleging threats of kidnapping and physical harm, while Fani-Kayode denies making such threats. There has been no court finding establishing the alleged conspiracy or threats.

Tinubu, Fani-Kayode Face Proposed $36m US Lawsuit Over Alleged Threats