SaharaReporters on Thursday reported that a two-year-old pre-Nursery school child said to be returning from school was killed by a bullet from the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Asaba, Delta State.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it has begun investigating the shooting incident which led to the death of a two-year-old child in Asaba, Delta State.
SaharaReporters on Thursday reported that a two-year-old pre-Nursery school child said to be returning from school was killed by a bullet from the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Asaba, Delta State.
The little boy who was simply identified as Onose, SaharaReporters reliably gathered, was killed by the stray bullet on Thursday, when men of the drug agency were on a chase of suspected drugs dealers in Asaba.
According to an eyewitness "The men of NDLEA were pursuing some boys who they said were into drugs and started shooting sporadically in the process. Little Onose, who was being picked up from school by his parents became a victim of this unfortunate incident.
"The stray bullet pierced through little Onose lower abdomen, he was then rushed to Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Asaba where a team medical personnel commenced treatment and operations on him. He was taken for emergency surgery unfortunately, he didn't make it; he died.
"The bullet also hit his younger brother in one of his eyes. Surgery has been done and he is stable to the glory of God. The most painful aspect of the incident is that by Tuesday next week, little Onose will be graduating from pre-nursery class before he was killed. As we talk his mother is being hospitalised at the FMC following the killing of her son."
Speaking on the unfortunate incident, a Delta state based human rights activist, Israel Ojie, has condemned the incident even as he accused men of the drugs agency of extortion.
After receiving early information on the incident from Delta Command, the anti-narcotics agency Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, said that he had set up the investigative panel composed of key officials from the national headquarters.
The chairman ordered the investigators to go to Asaba right away to determine the true facts of the situation.
Mr Femi Babafemi, NDLEA's communications director, stated that the agency had also been in contact with the deceased's relatives.
Babafemi also relayed the Delta command's initial briefing on the situation from the Chairman.