By Mercy Gadia Adi
The Nigerian Senate has recommended a N200 million compensation for the family of a two-year-old boy tragically killed by stray bullets during a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operation in Delta State.
According to Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, the agency initially offered N25 million, which the committee deemed grossly inadequate.
Addressing journalists after the Senate deliberated on two separate petitions, one of which involved the tragic death of the toddler, Imasuen disclosed the NDLEA admitted responsibility for the child’s death and also acknowledged that his sibling sustained serious injuries that could lead to permanent blindness and require multiple surgeries.
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He said the agency initially offered N25 million as compensation, but the committee rejected the offer, deeming it grossly inadequate.
“In clear conscience, we could not accept what they were offering,” Imasuen said. “We told them to return with something more reasonable something befitting of what it means to lose a child and face the trauma of another child possibly going blind. But they came back with the same N25 million.”
In response, the Senate Committee recommended N200 million compensation to the bereaved family, along with a directive that NDLEA assume full responsibility for the surviving child’s medical expenses.
Although the Senate adopted the committee’s recommendations, it acknowledged its constitutional limitations in enforcement and called on President Bola Tinubu to take executive action to ensure the family receives justice.
“Our Order 40, Sub 6, does not empower us to impose sanctions directly. We can only recommend and appeal,” Imasuen noted. “That is why we are calling on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, himself a father and grandfather, to intervene.”
He emphasized that no amount of money could replace the life lost or erase the trauma, but stressed the need for adequate restitution to help the family begin the healing process.
In a related development, the Senate also considered a petition concerning a 31-year-old employee of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) who was dismissed following a security breach involving unauthorized access to a restricted examination room.
The employee, who had served the council for over three decades, admitted to handing over a key to the examination room in her absence.
Despite the Senate committee’s recommendation that she be allowed to resign honourably in recognition of her long service, the full Senate overruled it due to the gravity of the offence and its potential impact on the integrity of national examinations.
“We wanted to apply a human face, but the Senate believed the broader implications on examination credibility and discipline within WAEC outweighed individual considerations,” Imasuen explained.
He concluded by reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to institutional accountability and justice, noting that the Compliance Committee would continue to engage the executive to ensure the recommended compensation is paid and medical support provided.
“As a parent, I cannot imagine the pain of burying a two-year-old child shot in the supposed safety of his home, nor watching another child potentially go blind,” Imasuen said. “As a legislator, I must ensure that our institutions respond to such tragedies with justice, responsibility, and empathy.”
Here’s a rewritten version of the first two paragraphs:
The Nigerian Senate has recommended a N200 million compensation for the family of a two-year-old boy tragically killed by stray bullets during a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operation in Delta State. According to Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, the agency initially offered N25 million, which the committee deemed grossly inadequate.
The Senate Committee rejected the offer, stressing that losing a child and dealing with the trauma of another child’s potential blindness warranted a more substantial compensation. Despite the Senate’s adoption of the committee’s recommendations, it acknowledged its limited power in enforcement, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure the family receives justice.