A family in Delta State, South-South Nigeria has been thrown into grief following the stray bullet from the gun of an officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) that killed their two-year-old son in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
However, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said that it is investigating the shooting incident which involved its officers during the raid of a drug joint in Okpanam area of Asaba, Delta state.
Acknowledging that a young person was hit by a stray bullet during the raid, resulting in death while undergoing treatment in the hospital, the agency, in a statement on Saturday, signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) had, after receiving initial briefings from the Delta state command of NDLEA, set up a panel of top officials from the national headquarters in Abuja to immediately proceed to Asaba for an on-the-spot investigation of the unfortunate incident with a view to establishing the actual facts of the case.
He said that this followed an initial incident report, which showed the following:
“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 about 1600 hours on Thursday, 13th July 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 demobilize 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 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(s).”
It was gathered that the boy was hit by a stray bullet following a shooting incident during a raid on a drug joint in the Okpanam area of Asaba on Thursday, July 13, 2023.
It was learned that an officer of the anti-drug agency was also injured during the incident.
Confirming the incident on Saturday, July 15, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy (NDLEA) Femi Babafemi, said the two-year-old boy died while undergoing treatment in a hospital.
He stated that the chairman of the anti-drug agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd), has set up the investigation panel consisting top officials from the national headquarters, after receiving initial briefings on the incident from the Delta State Command.
Babafemi noted that Marwa has directed the investigators to immediately proceed to Asaba to establish the actual facts of the case, adding that the NDLEA has been in touch with the family of the deceased.
The NDLEA spokesman, while reporting the initial brief on the incident given to Marawa by the Delta State Command, stated: “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 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 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.”
