The parents of a two-year-old boy, Ivan Omhonria, who was shot and killed, and his younger brother, Eromonsele, who was shot in the eye by men of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have demanded N2 billion compensation from the Agency.
The incident was said to have occurred in Delta State last year when the Agency was carrying out a raid and the younger surviving sibling was one year old at the time.
The father of the children, Fidelis, was aggrieved that they had been abandoned by the Agency since the incident occurred over a year ago.
He said the health of the surviving son has been deteriorating without adequate treatment.
This was as he appeared with his wife and son before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions.
Along with them was their lawyer, Mathew Edaghese.
The family had petitioned the NDLEA to the House and the first hearing of the matter came up on Wednesday.
Read Also: NDLEA winning anti-drug war, says Marwa
The parents also denied that they had an agreement with the NDLEA for a N25 million compensation.
At the hearing, the lawyer of the NDLEA, Muniat Adeleye, told the committee that they had agreed on the sum and N5 million had been sent to the family as the initial payment.
She said it was to be paid in five tranches over five months.
She expressed surprise over the petition saying the Agency did not expect it as the matter had been resolved.
She said the agreement was entered with both parents on board.
When asked for the agreement by the Committee, Adeleye, who is the Assistant Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, said it had not been signed.
This was unacceptable by the Committee, who demanded that the NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (rtd) appear before the Committee at its next hearing on the matter.
The father of the boys denied such agreement, saying the Chairman of the Agency Marwa had sometime after the incident sent him N5 million on a personal note.
He said the Agency did not take responsibility to recompense the family and that the surviving sibling is under serious threat.
He said they sought redress from the House to serve justice on the matter.
He said: “I was shocked to hear how to mention an agreement just now. I’m not a party to any agreement.
“Yes, actually within the period that this took place, the NDLEA Chairman called me and he told me he’s very sorry for this incident that happened on the 13th of July 2023 and that he’s not in the country. But on his commitment to me that he’s sending the token to me.
“He didn’t mention any amount to me. He said he would send me some money to take care of my son. Two weeks later, we left the Eye Foundation in Lagos. Then I received five million in my wife’s account that I sent to him. That’s all. And so where did the agreement for 25 million come in?”
His lawyer said: “We wrote them, demanded the sum of two billion as compensation. They never bothered to even respond to that demand. They ignored it with so much arrogance. Before this house, we want adequate compensation. A life was lost, cut short. Another destiny is someone’s being damaged because of the eye.
“He was just one year old when this incident happened. From then until now, they’ve been dealing with that. They are not prepared to do anything to even remedy the physical damage done to this infant boy. It’s like they are playing games and gimmicks to dodge responsibility. We want this house to compel the NDLEA to be responsive and responsible enough as a corporate agency to do what is obtainable on the best international standard practice”.
Chairman of the Committee, Mike Etaba, said, “I hope you appreciate the gravity of what we are saying. And so long as the house is concerned, Nigerians are interested in this matter. The whole world is watching us.
The next day this matter is going to be adjourned, and the principal officer, which is your head, has to be on this committee. This matter is too serious for anybody to represent him. We also understand that you are a lawyer, and you have a right to represent your organization. But the point we find ourselves, and the kind of life-threatening events that we find ourselves in, we want the NDLEA head and boss to appear in person and explain to Nigerians.
“Since this incident took place, the steps he has taken to make sure that this family recovers from the trauma. And as we speak, you can see the child with one eye
Look at that child with one eye, and you are a mother. All of us are fathers. Nobody would be alive to see his or her child with this kind of condition.
“The monies that have been sent to him were just a help, a token to make sure that he carries on with the little medication he needed to do. So let us not sit here and tell us and tell Nigerians that there was an agreement for NDLEA to pay this family 25 million. Nobody should hear it. It shouldn’t be heard anywhere”.
The matter was adjourned to 22 October 2024.
