• Agency denies allegation, promises assistance
Family members of Eromonsele Omhonria, who was reportedly shot in the eye by an official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Delta State, have accused the agency of abandoning them eight months and 14 days after the incident.
His father, Mr Fidelis Omhonria, whose two-year-old son was also shot dead by an official of the agency, lamented the deteriorating health condition of his son.
He alleged that NDLEA has refused to take responsibility for the child’s treatment abroad.
Narrating his ordeal to The Guardian, Omhonria said: “Today makes it eight months and 14 days since the incident happened. I have since buried my two-year-old son but the glass from the bullet affected Eromonsele’s eye and he is now going through serious pains.
“When the NDLEA’s chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Retd) visited us on November 2, 2023, he promised to take full responsibility for the medical bills and to fly the child to America for treatment.
“He said there was no need for a court case. So, we buried the two-year-old boy on December 13, 2023, because NDLEA assured us to expedite action for Eromonsele Omhonria’s treatment.
“During the visit, Marwa attached a protocol officer to us for the process. We submitted all documents to the NDLEA protocol officer to process the Visa. Since then, they have been telling us one story or the other.
“The NDLEA later asked us to move the visa application from Abuja to Lagos U.S. embassy, which we did but yet nothing has happened.
“Because of their delay, a family member helped us in January 2024 to get a visa appointment on February 2, 2024, only for NDLEA to call us on February 1, at about 8:30p.m. to inform us of the same visa appointment for February 2.”
We were informed that a family member got the date for us but they said we should go, promising to send letters to the embassy.
“We went for the interview and the U.S. consulate asked us who is funding the trip. When we told them that it was NDLEA, they told us that there was nothing like that in their system. So, they denied us the visa and told us to reapply.
“When I left the embassy, I contacted the NDLEA Chairman and he asked us to reapply as we were told, promising that the agency would foot the bill for the trip from Asaba-Abuja, which they did.
“Now, I have reapplied, spent a lot of money because of the dollar exchange rate the embassy has given us April 2, 2025, but my son’s health is deteriorating further as a result of the delay,” he lamented.
However, the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi in his reaction said the agency is in touch with the family to get the visa.
According to him, the agency has also assured the family of paying for their trip as well as footing the medical bills.
“Aside, we communicated to the US Embassy when we got wind that he was denied Visa again. We opened up conversation with the U.S. Embassy to restart the process.
“When he came to Abuja last time, the agency catered for all his expenses, accommodation and others. We have also written to the embassy, listing their names and what they are going for.
“So, we are doing what is expected of us, we indeed sympathise with the family, and we will continue to encourage and support them,” Babafemi stated.
