Two Years After NDLEA Bullets Killed One Toddler, Blinded Another, Family Still Awaits Justice, Compensation, Promised US Treatment

Nearly two years after a heartbreaking incident in Delta State that claimed the life of a toddler and left his younger brother severely injured, the affected family is still waiting for justice, medical support, and fair compensation.

The tragedy occurred on July 13, 2023, during a raid by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the Okpanam area of Delta State. In the course of the operation, stray bullets fired by the NDLEA struck two brothers — two-year-old Ivan Omorhiakogbe, who died on the spot, and one-year-old Eromonsele, who sustained a devastating gunshot injury to his eye.

Despite initial promises from both the Delta State Government and the NDLEA, the family says they have received neither meaningful support nor the justice they were assured. Over 21 months later, Eromonsele is yet to be flown abroad for the urgent medical treatment he needs, and the family has not received any compensation for the irreversible losses they’ve suffered.

On November 5, 2023, it was publicly announced that plans were underway to fly Eromonsele to the United States for specialized treatment. But as of now, nothing has materialized — no travel arrangements, no visa support, and no financial redress.

Senator Neda Imasuen, who represents Edo South Senatorial District under the Labour Party, has openly criticized the NDLEA for offering just N20 million in compensation — a figure he described as grossly inadequate. “That amount cannot reflect the damage done,” he said during a media session with journalists in Edo State. “A two-year-old lost his life, and his younger brother is battling possible blindness — N20 million is a slap in the face.”

Imasuen insists that the family deserves no less than N100 million, while the family’s legal counsel, Mathew Edaghede, is demanding N2 billion in compensation, citing the gravity of the trauma, the loss of a promising life, and the lifelong implications of the injury on the surviving child.

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Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had also visited the grieving family and pledged to help secure a U.S. visa and facilitate the boy’s treatment abroad. The NDLEA, under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), also pledged to act swiftly. But more than a year later, both agencies have reportedly failed to follow through on their promises.

The NDLEA has acknowledged fault, and an internal investigation was reportedly conducted, but the family remains trapped in a limbo of broken promises, inadequate offers, and unfulfilled assurances.