Justice came nearly two years late, but it finally arrived for the grieving family of two-year-old Ivan Onose Omhonrina, whose life was cut short by a stray bullet during a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operation in Delta State. On Thursday, July 11, 2025, the Nigerian Senate ordered the payment of ₦200 million compensation to the boy’s family, following the adoption of a report by its Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee.
The tragedy unfolded on July 13, 2023, when NDLEA operatives raided a suspected drug hideout in Okpanam, Oshimili North LGA. Bullets fired during the operation pierced the walls of a nearby shop belonging to the children’s mother, fatally striking Ivan in the abdomen and injuring his baby brother, Eromonsele, in the eye. Ivan was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba for emergency surgery but succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North, who has doggedly pursued justice for the Omhonrina family, formally presented the petition to the Senate in late 2023. He described the child’s death as “a national shame” and accused the NDLEA of reckless endangerment. His advocacy was instrumental in keeping the matter alive within the National Assembly, culminating in Thursday’s resolution.
Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions Committee, confirmed that the agency failed to exercise adequate operational discipline during the raid. The committee’s findings concluded that the NDLEA was liable for wrongful death and psychological trauma inflicted on the family, recommending immediate compensation to restore a measure of justice.
Lawmakers stood in solemn silence before unanimously approving the ₦200 million payment directive to the NDLEA. Many described the loss as a horrifying example of collateral damage that underscores the need for security agencies to adopt stricter rules of engagement, especially in civilian areas. “A toddler paid the price for a drug war he knew nothing about. That is unacceptable,” Senator Nwoko said during plenary.
The parents of Ivan have long pleaded for justice amid a wall of silence from authorities. The Senate’s resolution marks the first major breakthrough in their quest, though the NDLEA is yet to issue an official statement on whether it will comply with the directive. Civil society groups have hailed the Senate’s decision as a victory for accountability but insist the agency must go beyond paying money by reviewing its operational protocols.
Public outrage over Ivan’s death originally sparked protests and online campaigns in mid-2023, with hashtags like #JusticeForIvan trending on Nigerian Twitter. With the Senate’s decision now public, pressure is mounting on the NDLEA to take responsibility not just financially, but institutionally, to ensure no other innocent life is lost in similar circumstances.
