The Senate has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve N200 million compensation for the family of a toddler, Onosereba Omhonria, killed during a botched drug raid by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Delta State.

This resolution was reached on Thursday following the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, which investigated the July 13, 2023, incident.

The NDLEA officers stormed Abacha Junction, a known drug hotspot in Okpanam, Asaba, Oshimili North Local Government Area, when a stray bullet fatally struck the two-year-old Onosereba and left his younger brother, Eromonsele, critically injured in the eye.

Presenting the report, Committee Chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen (APC – Edo South), described the case as “deeply tragic.”

He revealed that Eromonsele’s eye injury remains severe, with doctors still uncertain about the possibility of restoring his sight.

While the NDLEA has provided N25 million to the family as interim support, the committee found that the agency lacks the resources to fund the advanced medical care the boy requires abroad.

“The agency is overstretched and simply does not have the capacity to provide the level of assistance needed,” Imasuen stated.

Senate passed a resolution urging President Tinubu to authorize an additional N200 million as compensation to the Omhonria family, noting the psychological and physical trauma the incident has caused.

The chamber also mandated the NDLEA to continue funding Eromonsele’s medical treatment, including arrangements for specialized care overseas.

The Senate observed a minute of silence in memory of the late toddler and expressed solidarity with the grieving family.

A recommendation to urge the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the NDLEA officer involved was withdrawn after it was confirmed that the officer is already undergoing trial.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) spoke emotionally about the case.

He said: “No amount of money can compensate for the life of a child. The uniform should not be a license to kill and return home to sleep peacefully with your own children.”

Senate President Godswill Akpabio also weighed in by expressing the Senate’s condolences.

He said: “Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased and the little boy still fighting to recover. Justice must not only be done. it must be seen to be done.”

The Senate has tasked its Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor the implementation of its resolutions and report back within six weeks.

The Senate also approved the dismissal of Ms. Sandra Nimi Harry, a former senior staff of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), who was found guilty of participating in a high-level examination malpractice scheme.

Employed since July 1992, Harry was sacked in July 2023 following a WAEC investigation that linked her to the fraudulent swapping of answer scripts for absentee candidates in Port Harcourt.

She was accused of assisting a colleague, Mr. Raymond Obi, in the scheme, allegedly under the instruction of another staff member, Joseph Pepple.

Despite her 31 years of unblemished service prior to the incident, the Senate Ethics Committee concluded that Harry’s actions amounted to gross misconduct.

Though the committee proposed that WAEC consider converting the dismissal to retirement, the Senate rejected the recommendation.

Senator Garba Maidoki condemned any notion of clemency.

He said: “This woman has done irreparable damage to the credibility of our education system. She deserves no mercy.”

Senator Oshiomhole agreed, urging prosecution, calling her actions “an atrocity.”

Senate President Akpabio warned against setting a dangerous precedent: “We cannot let long service be a shield for criminal conduct.”

Both resolutions reflect the Senate’s stance on accountability—whether for deadly law enforcement errors or breaches of trust within vital institutions.