BY TOM OKPE
The family of a two year old boy, Ivan Omhonria, killed by bullets of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, officers has cried out for justice.
Omhonria’s live was cut short by bullet of the men of NDLEA along with his senior brother, two year old Eromonsele Omhonria, shot in the eye, but was lucky, unlike his brother, who passed on immediately.
Father of the victims, Fidelis Omhonria cried out on Wednesday, to the House of Representatives saying that they had been abandoned by the Agency as he got nothing from the agency to bury his dead son, or for medication of the ill son.
This incident occured in Delta State when the NDLEA officers were said to be conducting a raid nearby, on July 13, 2024 and the children were struck by stray bullets.
This was as the House Committee on Public Petitions entertained the matter which was brought to it by the family.
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The family had petitioned the House of Representatives and the matter was heard for the second time on Wednesday
In attendance were the parents of the children, their lawyer as well as representatives of the NDLEA.
The father Omhonria, said the surviving sibling of the unfortunate incident has been abandoned by the Agency.
Addressing members of the House Committee, lawyer of the family, Mathew Edaghese, said whenever the little boy cries, blood comes out from his eye and mixes with tears.
Fidelis said: “Following the incident, the hospital in Data referred them to an eye specialist hospital in Lagos, which further referred them to a hospital in the United States.
“The hospital recommended by the NDLEA, also recommended us to the same hospital outside the country but since then, we were abandoned by the Agency.
“In respect of the surviving child, with this gunshot in the eye, effort has been made in my private capacity to get this child flown to where was prescribed, at a hospital in the United States of America by the best medical-faceted eye issues in Nigeria, Eye Foundation, Lagos.
“This recommendation was done within the first week of this incident. And they were aware of it. They did nothing about it. And the family had made several attempts to get visa. It was denied because it is not coming from the appropriate authority that caused the problem. One year and two months after, the child is still in pain. As of last week, a piece of glass dropped from his eye. If he cries as we speak, blood will be missing with the tears.
“Over one year after, a situation that was recommended for emergency attention, NDLEA went to sleep and the situation is deteriorate beyond redemption.
“We want to plead with you, to facilitate the trip of this innocent child whose destiny is under serious attack for treatment where he has been recommended for treatmen,” he said.
The family has in their petition demanded the sum of N2 billion from the NDLEA for compensation.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep Mike Etaba, said the surviving child must get immediate treatment, however the N2 billion demand was not feasible.
Etaba urged the NDLEA to accept that the matter be stepped down and settled between the family, the NDLEA and the Committee on terms that would be accepted to all parties.
The Committee chairman expressed displeasure that Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig Gen Buba Marwa, Rtd, did not show up for the hearing in person.
He invited Marwa and the parents of the children to meet with the Committee in his office on Thursday, 24th October at 10am to resolve the issue.
Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, NDLEA, Theresa Asuquo, who represented Marwa, agreed to the terms.
Asuquo earlier, told the Committee that the matter was before the court and should not be entertained.
However, she was warned against misleading the Committee as the matter in court was that of the State vs the erring officers, which does not stop the probe by the House.
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