By Austin Ogwuda
THE Federal House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, on Wednesday, commenced hearing of the petition lodged against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the killing of a two-year old boy during a raid at a black spot in Delta State, Nigeria, over one year ago.
Recall that the Member representing Aniocha/ Oshimili Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ngozi Okolie petitioned the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the case of two minor siblings shot by the Agency.
Representative Ngozi Okolie in that petition highlighted that the Agency failed to adhere adequately to established guidelines and protocols thus resulting in the unfortunate incident and also pointed out the lackerdaiscal attitude of the Agency towards the matter, which has remained unresolved for over one year.
At the maiden hearing of the petition against the NDLEA on Wednesday, the Committee headed by Hon. Mike Etaba lashed the Agency saying that from the look of things that “they are grandstanding”.
The Committee therefore ordered that the NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd) must appear before the Committee at its next hearing on the matter coming up on Tuesday next week, being the 22nd of October 2024.
According to the House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Etaba who was visibly angry, “I hope you (NDLEA Lawyer) appreciate the gravity of what we are saying. The House is concerned, Nigerians are interested about this matter. The whole world is watching us.
“The next day this matter is going to be adjourned, the principal officer, which is your head, has to be in 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 organisation. But the point we find ourselves, and the kind of life-threatening events that we find ourselves, we want the NDLEA head and boss to appear in person and explain to Nigerians”, he stated.
Earlier, there was a mild drama as the aggrieved father of two children shot by the Agency, Mr. Fidelis Omhonria disputed the Agency claim to the effect that there was an arrangenent to stagger the compensation to be paid to the family.
Testifying before the Committee, the Counsel to the NDLEA who is the Assistant Director of Prosecution and Legal Services of the Agency Barrister Muniat Adeleye said that they (NDLEA) had agreed to pay a total of N25m as compensation and that N5 million had already been sent to the family as the initial payment.
She said the N25m compensation, going by the purported agreement is to be paid in five tranches over the next five months and expressed surprise over the petition saying the Agency did not expect it as the matter since they had been resolved following the agreement entered into by both parties.
However when asked for the agreement by the Committee to produce the agreement, Barrister Adeleye said the agreement had not been signed.
Responding, Fidelis Omhonria denied that there was such agreement but however admitted that he had received N5m directly from the NDLEA Chairman so far.
According to him, “I was shocked to hear an agreement just now. I am not a party to any contract. Yes, within the period that this took place, the NDLEA Chairman called me and he told me he was very sorry for this incident that happened on the 13th of July, 2023 and that he was not in the country. But on his commitment to me, he was sending a token to me.
“He didn’t mention any amount to me. He said he would send me money to care for my son. Two weeks later, we left the Eye Foundation in Lagos. Then, I received five million in my wife’s account, which I sent to him. That’s all, so where did the agreement for 25 million Naira come in?”, he asked.
On his part, the Family’s lawyer, Mathew Edaghese, said they wrote NDLEA, demanding the sum of N2 billion as compensation, but the Agency 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 have been dealing with that. They (NDLEA) are not prepared to do anything, even to remedy the physical damage done to this infant boy”, he told the Committee.
Recall that the unfortunate incident occurred on July 13th, 2023, when the NDLEA operatives while chasing drug peddlers at a black spot at Okpanam in Oshimili North local government area of Delta State and recklessness opened fire which eventually struck the two brothers who were in their mother’s shop after returning from school.
The shop is adjacent to the raided black spot.
Both kids hit by the stray bullets were immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Asaba but Ivan, the two-year old boy died while the younger injured in one of the eyes is still battling over the health condition.
Photos:
*NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd)
*the killed two-year old boy, Ivan