A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Asaba, Delta State, as a two-year-old pre-Nursery school child, known only as Onose, lost his life to a stray bullet fired by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives. The innocent child, returning from school with his parents, fell victim to the unfortunate incident that occurred on Thursday during the agency’s pursuit of suspected drug dealers. SaharaReporters maintained.
An eyewitness recounted the distressing event, stating, “The men of NDLEA were chasing some boys they believed to be involved in drug activities and began shooting indiscriminately. Tragically, little Onose, who was being picked up from school by his parents, became an unintended target of this incident.”
“The stray bullet struck Onose in his lower abdomen, prompting an immediate rush to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Asaba. A team of medical personnel swiftly initiated treatment and performed emergency surgery. Regrettably, despite their efforts, Onose did not survive,” the eyewitness added.
Moreover, the bullet also hit Onose’s younger brother in the eye, necessitating surgery. Fortunately, the brother is currently in a stable condition. However, the pain inflicted on the family is exacerbated by the fact that Onose was set to graduate from pre-nursery class next week before this tragic loss. As of now, his mother is receiving medical attention at FMC due to the devastating loss of her son.
Reacting to the distressing incident, Israel Ojie, a human rights activist based in Delta State, strongly condemned the incident and raised concerns about extortion by NDLEA personnel. Ojie stated, “We urge the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of this young boy and the injury sustained by his brother. I have contacted our comrades in Asaba to provide support to the grieving parents at FMC and file a report with the police for proper documentation.”
In response to the incident, the state commissioner of police, CP Wale Abass, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case from the GRA police station to the police headquarters, demonstrating the gravity of the situation and the need for a comprehensive inquiry.
