The family of Fidelis Omhonria has renewed its call for justice and compensation, three years after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) allegedly shot two of his sons during an operation in Asaba, Delta State, killing one and leaving the other permanently injured.
The incident occurred on July 13, 2023, along Okpanam Road in Asaba, when NDLEA operatives reportedly opened fire during an undisclosed operation.
Two-year-old Onose Ivan Omhonria died from gunshot injuries a few hours after the incident, while his younger brother, Eromonsele Omhonria, who was about one year old at the time, survived after being shot in the eye.
Now four years old, Eromonsele has reportedly lost sight in the affected eye, with his family saying they continue to shoulder the burden of his medical treatment without government support.
The family’s lawyer, Matthew Edaghese, had petitioned the National Assembly after the incident, arguing that the NDLEA failed to justify the shooting. Following the petition, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions recommended that the family be paid N200 million in compensation and that the NDLEA should bear the full cost of Eromonsele’s medical treatment.
The recommendation was also forwarded through Senator Ned Nwoko with a request for presidential approval. However, three years after the incident, the family said no compensation has been paid and no funds have been released for the child’s surgeries and ongoing treatment.
Speaking on the third anniversary of the tragedy, Fidelis Omhonria said the family’s pain has been compounded by what he described as the authorities’ failure to act.
“July 13, 2026, marked exactly three years since NDLEA operatives killed our two-year-old son, Onose Ivan Omhonria, and left our second son, Eromonsele, with a severe eye injury that affected his vision,” he said.
According to him, the family has endured immense emotional, physical and financial hardship while hoping the government would intervene to help restore their surviving son’s sight.
He said despite repeated engagements with the National Assembly over the past three years, justice has yet to be served and the recommended compensation remains unpaid.
The family’s original petition alleged that after the shooting, Fidelis confronted the NDLEA operatives, who were travelling in a convoy of three vehicles, including a Hilux van, a Toyota Sienna and a Honda car. He claimed the officers threatened to shoot him when he demanded an explanation and allegedly seized his phone before leaving the scene, abandoning the injured children.
The family has again appealed to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Ede Dafinone, Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Compliance, to ensure the Senate’s recommendation is implemented and that Eromonsele receives the medical care needed to improve his condition.
The NDLEA has not publicly announced any compensation for the family as of the time of filing this report.
