By Nurat Uthman
Stray bullets from operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have reportedly killed a two-year-old child and wounded his sibling at Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred when the NDLEA operatives raided a notorious drug joint in the area on Thursday. Sources said the deceased child, Ivan Omhonria and his younger sibling, Eromonsele, had just returned from school to their mother’s shop when they were hit by stray bullets.
The source said Ivan was hit on his abdomen while the bullet brushed Eromonsele on the eye.
He said the victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Asaba for treatment, adding that Ivan could not survive it.
Confirming the incident, the State Commandant of the NDLEA, Mr. John Tunde said his men did not open fire on the children, noting that “we can’t be that unprofessional to open fire on a shop.”
He said there was a Toyota Camry parked within the precincts when his men stormed the drug joint to raid and dislodge the place. He said that the Camry ran over one of the operatives while escaping, Tunde said: “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, the man who the car ran over, is at the Central Hospital in Ogwashi-Uku.
Our attempt to stop the car was not successful as he escaped.” He said he was at the hospital in the night with the father of the child.
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