Claim
A Facebook post by Oloo to Ekiti claims that: ”Police killed an innocent boy at Isan-Ekiti, the hometown of former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and soaked the whole community with teargas”.
The post has generated concerns online, especially as it surfaced on the eve of the Ekiti State governorship election, raising fears that the incident may be politically motivated or election-related.
Background
As Ekiti State prepares for its governorship election, social media has witnessed an increase in the circulation of information, some of which lack adequate context. Posts about security incidents can easily fuel panic or create the impression that violence is linked to the electoral process.
Therefore, it is important to verify such claims and establish whether they are election-related or isolated criminal incidents.
Verification
To verify the claim, we reviewed reports from credible Nigerian media organisations.
Our findings show that Daily Post Nigeria and The Sun Nigeria both reported on their verified facebook and X handle respectively that a young man was allegedly shot by a police officer in Isan-Ekiti, triggering protests by residents. According to the reports, angry youths demonstrated over the incident, while security operatives deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd and restore order.
The reports further indicate that the incident arose from a football-related altercation and was not politically motivated.
There is no credible evidence linking the shooting to the Ekiti governorship election, political party activities, voter intimidation, or election violence.
At the time of publication, no verified report from security agencies or reputable news organisations suggests that the incident was connected to the electoral process.
Verdict: TRUE
The claim that a young man was shot and killed by police in Isan-Ekiti is TRUE. However, available evidence shows that the incident was not connected to the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election or any political activity.
Rather, it reportedly stemmed from a football-related dispute.
Conclusion
The Facebook post is partly accurate but lacks important context.
It is TRUE that a young man was allegedly shot and killed by a police officer in Isan-Ekiti and that protests followed, during which tear gas was reportedly used.
However, there is no evidence that the incident was related to the ongoing Ekiti governorship election or was politically motivated. Available reports indicate that the shooting resulted from a football-related incident, making it a criminal and public security matter rather than an election-related one.
Providing this context is important to prevent the spread of misinformation that could unnecessarily heighten political tension or create false narratives about the electoral process.
