It is almost two years since the Delta State was thrown into a sad mood following a tragic incident, yet the family of two-year-old Ivan Omorhiakogbe—who lost his life to a stray bullet during a raid by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)—continues to await justice, compensation, and the promised medical care for his injured younger brother.
The incident occurred on July 13, 2023, in the Okpanam area of Delta State when NDLEA men shot during a raid on suspected drug peddlers.
Ivan and his one-year-old brother, Eromonsele, were struck by stray bullets while they were at their mother’s shop. Ivan died instantly, and Eromonsele sustained a critical gunshot wound in his left eye and is now in danger of permanent blindness.
The NDLEA men were reported to have been shooting indiscriminately. In the days following the incident, both the NDLEA and the Delta State Government made promises to the grieving family.
On November 5, 2023, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori visited them, promising to ensure treatment for Eromonsele in the United States and to assist with visa procurement.
The NDLEA, led by Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), also promised to expedite the medical evacuation of the child and conduct an internal probe.
According to Gistreel, nearly 21 months later, none of those promises has materialized. Eromonsele remains in Nigeria without the urgent treatment he was promised, and the family has received no form of compensation for the irreparable loss and trauma they’ve had to endure.
Senator Neda Imasuen, who represents Edo South Senatorial District under the Labour Party, has been battling on behalf of the family. Speaking with journalists at a media interaction with the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Edo State recently, he said the NDLEA’s offer of N20 million compensation was “unacceptable.”
Two children were shot—one died, the other was rendered almost blind. The NDLEA took responsibility for their bullet. To make an offer of N20 million is not only inadequate—it’s an insult.
That child could have been anything in life: a doctor, a governor, even president. We cannot simply write that off,” Imasuen said. He maintained that the Senate would settle for nothing short of N100 million as compensation, while the family lawyer, Mathew Edaghede, has asked for N2 billion based on the long-term effect on the health, future, and emotional trauma of the family, as well as the surviving child.
NDLEA’s initial admission of guilt and promise to look after the family appears to have tapered off, as no concrete action has been taken since late 2023. Public sympathy for the family, however, continues to grow, with the majority calling for accountability and speedy justice.
Governor Oborevwori had then said
“We commend the NDLEA for launching an investigation. I directed personally that the family should be issued a letter to obtain a U.S. visa for treatment for the child.”
