For many residents, the sight of a police checkpoint no longer evokes a sense of security but anxiety, particularly in communities where allegations of extortion, harassment and excessive use of force have become recurrent.
What should ordinarily be routine security enforcement has, in some instances, escalated into violent confrontations, with minor disagreements, roadside disputes and routine questioning ending in serious injuries or deaths.
The recent killing of 32-year-old tiler, Owolabi Oniyiku, along the Ifonyintedo–Akinde Road in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, has once again brought concerns over police conduct, illegal checkpoints and the use of firearms to the forefront.
Oniyiku, a Lagos-based resident and father of one, had returned to his hometown to celebrate the traditional Oro festival when he was allegedly shot dead by a police operative attached to the Idiroko Border Patrol Team on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The bullet reportedly struck him in the chest, killing him instantly and triggering protests and tension in the border community.
A video circulating online showed the lifeless body of the victim, while youths could be heard alleging that police officers in Idiroko had killed someone.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident and said the officers involved had been arrested for investigation.
Checkpoint dispute ends in fatal shooting
The incident reportedly occurred amid longstanding complaints by residents, farmers and commercial motorcyclists over alleged harassment and unauthorised cash or farm-produce demands at checkpoints along the Ifonyintedo route.
Residents said tensions escalated after unknown individuals allegedly set fire to a makeshift bamboo checkpoint on Tuesday.
Security operatives subsequently mounted a roadblock, leading to heightened tension among commuters, motorcyclists and residents the following morning.
A youth in the area, Gbenasu Johnson, said several motorcyclists were allegedly stopped and had their motorcycles seized.
Oniyiku, who was carrying a friend on his motorcycle to Ilashe Garage, reportedly encountered the roadblock and stopped after seeing some of his acquaintances at the scene.
According to the account, he pleaded with the officers to release one of the seized motorcycles and explained that he and his friend were residents of Ifonyintedo who had no connection with the destruction of the checkpoint.
An argument allegedly developed between Oniyiku and one of the officers during the exchange before the officer reportedly fired his weapon, hitting him in the chest.
His death sparked violent protests, during which youths reportedly attacked and set fire to a police station before taking his body to the Idiroko Area Command to demand justice.
Former Chief of Staff to Governor Dapo Abiodun and APC candidate for Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, condemned the destruction of police and government property, urging residents not to resort to violence.
Taiwo said justice should be pursued through lawful means, while also stressing the need to address concerns raised by residents about alleged harassment and unprofessional conduct by some security personnel.
Family demands justice
Oniyiku’s elder brother, Festus, described him as a calm and responsible man who did not smoke, drink or engage in fights.
He said the deceased was married with a child and was deeply loved by his family.
Festus expressed concern that, several days after the incident, the family had yet to meet with the Divisional Police Officer or the Commissioner of Police.
He said only two officers had visited the family from Abeokuta to inspect the scene.
The family is demanding justice and wants the officer responsible for the shooting to be dismissed if found culpable.
The police, however, said the investigation remains ongoing.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Oluborode Opeyemi, said the command would brief the public when there was more information to disclose.
Ogun’s troubling history of police shooting incidents
Oniyiku’s death has also revived memories of previous incidents involving alleged police shootings and excessive use of force in Ogun State.
In July 2024, a policeman reportedly shot dead a betting agent identified as Anuoluwapo, popularly known as Pepe, in the Imala area of Abeokuta.
The victim was reportedly closing his Bet9ja shop when he was shot.
While eyewitnesses gave different accounts of the circumstances surrounding the incident, the police confirmed the shooting and said the officers involved had been invited for investigation.
No publicly known conclusion to the investigation has since been announced.
In December 2024, Nigerian actor and movie director Azeez Ijaduade was shot in the neck during an end-of-year celebration at a hotel in Iperu, Ikenne Local Government Area.
The officer involved was reportedly attached to a Chinese expatriate and had allegedly fired into the air during the event.
Ijaduade, who was at the location with other actors filming a movie, was rushed to Babcock University Hospital, where he was reported to be stable and responding to treatment.
Another high-profile case occurred in February 2020, when Remo Stars FC assistant captain Tiyamiyu Kazeem, popularly known as Kaka, died after an encounter with a police operative.
His club alleged that the 21-year-old footballer was stopped by a SARS officer who accused him of being an internet fraudster before he was allegedly pushed out of a vehicle and struck by an oncoming vehicle.
The police gave a different account, saying Kazeem had been arrested after being seen wearing a military cap and later jumped out of the vehicle while attempting to escape.
Following the incident, then Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu ordered the disbandment of the Zonal Intervention Squad at Obada-Oko, Ogun State.
The officer involved, Inspector Olaniyi Ogunsoro, was subsequently dismissed after being found guilty of unprofessional conduct.
Youth groups demand independent investigation
The National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ipokia Local Government Branch, called for an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into Oniyiku’s death.
The group said the circumstances surrounding the killing required accountability and warned against administrative cover-ups.
It also raised concerns over what it described as a pattern of unauthorised roadblocks, arbitrary stops, extortion and intimidation along border communities.
The youth council maintained that security checkpoints should serve their intended purpose of protecting citizens rather than becoming sources of fear.
It demanded that authorities publish a detailed account of the events leading to the shooting, identify all officers present at the scene and investigate their individual roles.
The group further called for prosecution and disciplinary action against any officer found guilty of misconduct, unlawful use of lethal force or negligence.
The Ipokia Local Government Youth Forum also described Oniyiku’s death as the third alleged extrajudicial killing in the area within three years.
The forum recalled the death of Adeleye Eniola, who it said was fatally struck by a police officer locally known as “Freedom.”
It demanded the immediate investigation and prosecution of any personnel found culpable, the disbandment of the allegedly unauthorised Ifonyintedo checkpoint and other illegal roadblocks in the area.
The group also requested an official apology and condolence visit to Oniyiku’s family, as well as the publication of the deployment order, personnel attached to the checkpoint and rules governing its operation.
#EndSARS panel recommendations remain a concern
The latest incident has also renewed attention on the recommendations of the Ogun State Judicial Panel of Inquiry established following the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The nine-member panel, inaugurated by Governor Dapo Abiodun in October 2020, was mandated to investigate allegations of human rights abuses and police brutality.
The panel received 106 petitions and treated 58 of them, while 48 were withdrawn, rejected or abandoned.
In July 2021, the panel submitted its 289-page report to the governor and recommended more than N218 million in compensation for 42 victims or their families.
It also recommended the investigation, discipline and prosecution of security personnel found culpable.
Among the cases heard by the panel was that of Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, who testified that he was shot over an alleged N20 bribe and left permanently disabled.
Other testimonies included that of the mother of Seyi Akinade, a FUNAAB student who died by suicide after alleged psychological trauma following his detention by SARS operatives, and Adebimpe Sobowale, who alleged that her husband was tortured to death in police custody over N200 airtime traced to her phone.
Oluwasola Oladunjoye, a former Commonwealth Games weightlifter, also told the panel that an alleged encounter with a police officer left him with a permanent neck injury that affected his sporting career.
Rights group demands professional policing
President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Yinka Folarin, said unauthorised checkpoints violate citizens’ freedom of movement and can create opportunities for extortion.
Folarin, who served on the Ogun State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, said checkpoints could be necessary for security purposes but must be properly authorised and operated within the law.
He argued that security personnel should not turn checkpoints into collection points for money or other items from motorists and residents.
On Oniyiku’s death, Folarin described the reported use of firearms as a serious concern and called for a thorough investigation of the officer and other personnel present at the scene.
He also advocated psychological assessment for police officers deployed to sensitive operations and checkpoints, arguing that officers entrusted with firearms must understand that their primary responsibility is to protect lives and property.
According to him, the police must embrace community-centred and professional policing, with greater emphasis on respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.
He further urged the government to revisit the recommendations of the #EndSARS panel, arguing that stronger implementation of institutional reforms could help prevent future cases of police brutality.
As investigations into Oniyiku’s death continue, residents of Ipokia are demanding answers over what happened at the checkpoint and assurances that similar incidents will not recur.
For the bereaved family, however, the investigation is more than an institutional exercise. It is a demand for accountability over the death of a husband, father, son and brother whose life ended during what was reportedly an ordinary journey through his community.
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