NDLEA shooting: Parents of slain toddler seek compensation as survivor brother, 4, loses eye
By Ozioruva Aliu
For the past three years, the family of Fidelis Omhonria, from Ubiaja in Esan South-East Local Government Area, Edo State but based in Asaba, Delta State has been trapped in a nightmare that began on July 13, 2023.
On that fateful day, their lives were shattered when personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on an undisclosed operation around Okpanam Road in Asaba, Delta State, opened fire, hitting their two young sons.
Onose Ivan Omhonria, just two years old, died hours later. His brother, Eromonsele, barely one year old, survived but was shot in the eye.
Today, three years later, the family’s agony is compounded by what they describe as a “lukewarm” response from the authorities. While the Senate, through its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, has recommended a N200 million compensation and mandated the NDLEA to cover all of Eromonsele’s medical treatments, the family remains in the cold.
Their lawyer, Matthew Edaghese, petitioned the National Assembly on the incident when NDLEA could not justify the shooting and the Senate, through a petition from Senator Ned Nwoko, had even recommended an appeal to President Bola Tinubu for approval.
Sadly, three years later, the Omhonria family continues to accumulate medical bills for Eromonsele, now four years old, while NDLEA’s “lukewarm attitude” persists.
A father’s frustration and plea
The distraught father, Fidelis Omhonria, told NDV that Eromonsele cannot see with the eye where the bullet hit him.
However, he still holds onto hope that with proper medical care, his son might see again. He expressed profound disappointment that the authorities have done nothing to alleviate their suffering.
“July 13th, 2026, made it exactly three years since NDLEA killed our two-year-old son, Onose Ivan Omhonria, and left our second son, Eromonsele Omhonria, badly injured in his eye, affecting his vision,” Omhonria said.
“Our family has gone through an extremely painful journey. Since that day, we have carried the pain of losing one child while fighting to save our surviving son. The emotional, physical, and financial challenges have been overwhelming.
“For the past three years, we have continued to hope that the government of Nigeria would do the needful. Sadly, we are still waiting for help that could restore our son’s sight. It has been back and forth on this case before the National Assembly for three years now. Till today, justice has not been served, and no funds have been released for Eromonsele’s surgeries and medical treatment,” he lamented.
Family’s petition
The family’s initial petition gave a vivid account of the horrific event, yet the reason for the shooting remains unjustified. Mr. Omhonria confronted the heavily armed NDLEA men in a convoy of three vehicles (one Hilux van, a Sienna and a Honda car), who were still shooting sporadically near his wife’s shop. When he demanded an explanation, one of them threatened to shoot him and demanded his phone. The officers then sped off, leaving two innocent children bleeding.
“We are by this petition calling on the Nigerian Senate to order a probe into this case and ensure that justice is served,” the family’s lawyer wrote. “The killing of that beautiful, innocent soul of Onosereba and the brutal shooting in the eye of his younger brother, Eromonsele, must not be without consequence and recompense.”
The family’s demand for compensation is a measure of the immeasurable loss and the urgent need for Eromonsele’s sight to be saved. Now, the family humbly appeals to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Ede Dafinone, the Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Compliance, to use their offices to renew the hope of Eromonsele to see again.
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