Ilesa, Osun State — A solemn funeral ceremony turned into tragedy this past Saturday in Ilesa’s Oke Ero district when a 14-year-old boy was fatally struck by a stray bullet following a misfired salute by a forest security operative. The victim, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, was among mourners gathered to honour the deceased.
According to the Osun State Police, the guard—reportedly one of several members of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) invited from Plateau State to the burial—fired into the air in homage to the deceased. As he lowered his weapon, however, the firearm unexpectedly discharged, and the bullet found its way into the crowd. The young boy was hit and later died at hospital.
Police Public Relations Officer for Osun State, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed that five people were wounded in the incident. While three of them have since been discharged from hospital, one remains in critical condition in the intensive care unit. Ojelabi added that two suspects—among them forest guards and the individual who extended the invitation to them—have been detained and transferred to the Osogbo command headquarters for further investigation.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos when the misfire occurred. Panic gripped mourners who scrambled for safety after the shot rang out unexpectedly. Some accounts suggest that the guard intended only to fire into the air as part of a ceremonial homage, but that handling the firearm led to the tragic outcome.
In a statement, the NFSS commander in Osun State reportedly indicated that more facts were being gathered and urged calm while the police carry out their duties. Local authorities have emphasised that proper arms handling protocols must be enforced more strictly, especially when security personnel are invited to public events. As of now, investigations are ongoing. The identities of those arrested have not been officially released, and legal consequences remain uncertain.