The House of Representatives on Tuesday, urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to take over the investigation and prosecution of the officer(s) involved in the alleged shooting and killing of two years old Ivan Omhonrina in Delta State.
The House also urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and other sister agencies to provide periodic training and sensitisation programs for their officers and men on the appropriate use of firearms, conflict resolution, and respect for the human rights of citizens.
The House also mandated its Committee on Human Rights and National Security and Intelligence (when constituted) to ensure that the family of the slain Omhonrina is adequately compensated for its loss and report back within 6 weeks.
The House further mandated its Committee on National Security and Intelligence (when constituted) to effectively monitor the activities of law enforcement agencies through evaluations and monitoring to prevent similar and submit its report back within four weeks for further legislative actions.
The resolutions were arrived at after a motion “Call for investigation and prosecution of the officers involved in shooting and killing of Ivan Omhonrina moved by Unyime Idem was adopted.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker explained that on July 13, 2023, a two years old Omhonrina who was returning from school tragically lost his life from a stray bullet fired by an NDLEA officer while his younger brother, Eromosele Omhonrina was shot in the eye.
He also recalled that on April 4, 2023, a 17-year-old boy, Ibuchim Ofezie, a resident of Agingi Community of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State was killed by some police patrol personnel attached to “C” Division of the Command, while on May 28, 2023, Bakare Demola was shot dead allegedly a police officer, Kabiru Odejimi in Oregun, Ikeja area, Lagos State.
He called for measures to stem the incessant cases of stray bullets warning that more Nigerians would die if urgent solutions were not proffered.
Security agencies, he added are meant to protect the people, not to endanger their lives even as he further maintained that there was the urgent need to build the trust of Nigerians on the willingness and readiness of the security agents to always protect them.
