The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it is investigating the shooting incident during a raid on a drug joint at the Okpanam area of Asaba in Delta.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Saturday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that a stray bullet from the weapon of an NDLEA officer was reported to have hit a young man who eventually died while undergoing treatment in a hospital.
He said that the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), set up the investigation panel consisting of top officials from the national headquarters, after receiving initial briefings on the incident from the Delta Command.
Babafemi said that the chairman directed the investigators to immediately proceed to Asaba to establish the actual facts of the case.
According to him, the NDLEA has been in touch with the family of the deceased.
Babafemi also reported the initial brief on the incident given to the Chairman by the Delta command.
“A team of NDLEA operatives carried out an intelligence-based raid of the joint of a notorious drug dealer located at Okpanam area of Asaba at about 1600 hours on Thursday July 13.
“And in the process of the operation, a Toyota Camry 2008 model, light blue colour at the scene suddenly zoomed off and knocked down one of our officers who is currently in critical condition, undergoing treatment in a hospital.
“In a bid to demobilise the car and prevent it from escaping, another officer fired a shot aimed at the tyre of the car, which eventually escaped.
“While the injured officer was rushed for treatment, the officers got reports of a stray bullet hitting a young person and immediately located the father of the victim, followed him to the hospital, and supported in facilitating his treatment but he unfortunately died in the process.
“We’re in touch with the family to provide necessary assistance while we conclude our investigation of the incident.
“We will like to assure the family and members of the public that we’ll get to the root of the case and take necessary action,” Babafemi concluded.
Recall that a 2-year-old baby, Ivan Onose Omhonrina was shot dead and his younger brother, Eromonsele, sustained injury during a raid on a notorious drug joint by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Delta State.
According to reports, the kids were shot at their mother’s shop when NDLEA operatives raided the drug joint at Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state on Thursday, July 13, 2023.
An eyewitness account had it that the victims were in their mother’s shop after school hours when they were hit by stray bullets.
The witness said a stray bullet brushed Eromonsele on the eye while Ivan was hit on his abdomen.
He added that the victims were rushed to the FMC for surgery, adding that Ivan could not survive it.
The Delta State Commandant of the NDLEA, Mr. John Tunde, who confirmed the incident, had, however, insisted that his men did not open fire on the kids.
Tunde explained that when the operatives of the command stormed the notorious drug joint to raid and dislodge the place, there was a Toyota Camry parked within the precincts.
According to him, while the operatives were surrounding the place, a Camry car “ran over one of our men while escaping. And in attempts to demobilise the car, our men shot at it.
“What we cannot tell now is whether the children were inside the car at the time of the shooting. Our men did not open fire at any shop. As we speak now, our man, who the car ran over is at the Central Hospital in Ogwashi-Uku,” he stated.
