Four days after men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) allegedly shot and killed a two-year-old boy, Ivan Onoseriegba, on Thursday, July 13, 2023, in Okpanam in Oshimili North LGA of Delta State, the agency has not produced the culprits for arrest and investigation.
Daily Trust reports that the pupil was fatally hit on his abdomen, while the shattered glasses which the stray bullet pierced injured his younger brother, Erhumossele, in their mother’s shop, Hillsi Cakes N More Academy, in Edoz Plaza on Okpanam Road.
Although NDLEA issued a statement on Saturday, July 15, through its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, it didn’t identify the shooter.
Meanwhile, the Delta State police spokesman, DSP Edafe Bright, who disclosed that investigation into the killing was ongoing, said: “The command is aware of the incident that occurred on the 13th of July, 2023.
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“It is a sad one; it is a tragic incident and the command is truly and indeed disturbed.
“Unfortunately, one of the kids who the stray bullet hit, gave up the ghost at the hospital. His age is two years and his name is Ivan Onosebarhe.
“The CP has directed that the matter be transferred to the State CID. As I speak with you, the matter is already being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Delta State Police Command.
“And all parties involved will appear before the CP on Monday.”
Meanwhile, the family of the victims has demanded justice for the murder.
Father of the deceased, Mr Omorhiakogbe Fidelis, said, “We need justice for our children. We need to take it up; it cannot just go like this. I don’t even know the condition of this one. I don’t know his fate; we need justice.
Narrating what happened, he said: “As I was going to FMC, I branched at my wife’s shop. I saw a Hilux, a Sienna and a Honda, all loaded with operatives of NDLEA with arms parked close to my wife’s shop.
“According to the people around, they said they were chasing those guys that sell drugs, but the guys ran away. My wife told me that there was a gunshot and a bullet hit my boy and his intestines were coming out.
“I went outside and was trying to take pictures and videos. One of the NDLEA boys came out and asked why I was videoing him, asking whether I was mad. He then cocked his gun. I then told him that the gun they shot had killed my son, and that if they wanted to kill me they should go ahead.
“Then the guy punched me. I held his hand. Immediately they heard that their gunshot had killed my child, they entered their cars and zoomed off.
“I jumped into my car and followed them till we got to Issele-Azagba, they then stopped while I pulled over in one filling station and they came to me. I told them that the gun they shot killed my son. They said they knew and that they had called their commander.
“They said I should follow them to their head office in Ogwashi-Uku. Their oga came out and spoke to them.
“They pleaded with me and enquired about the condition of the child. I told them I didn’t know.
“The oga then said that what they told him was that they were chasing someone when one bike or a vehicle hit one of the NDLEA guys and his gun went off.”
Reacting to the incident, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori condemned the killing in a statement by his spokesman, Festus Ahon, saying, “The tragic incident is regrettable and avoidable if the officers had operated based on their rules of engagement.”
He, therefore, called on the NDLEA and the police command to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the boy and injury to his brother with a view to bringing the culprits to book and avoiding a future occurrence.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA in a statement by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said, “We are investigating a shooting incident involving our officers during the raid of a drug joint at Okpanam area of Asaba, Delta State, where a young person was hit by a stray bullet resulting in death while undergoing treatment in the hospital.
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