Tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday, July 22, 2025, when a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operative, identified simply as Jide, was gunned down by suspected drug traffickers during a sting operation in Ondo town, the administrative center of Ondo West Local Government Area in Ondo State.
The operation, based on credible intelligence, targeted an apartment in the Ita’nla community of Ondo town, where narcotics were believed to be hidden.
According to a source familiar with the incident, NDLEA officers stormed the building shortly after dawn to recover illicit substances allegedly concealed in the ceiling of the residence.
“I believe the agency got a tip-off that drugs were being stored in the house,” the source told journalists. “When they arrived, some of the operatives entered the building to retrieve the exhibits, while Officer Jide remained outside on sentry duty, keeping watch.”
It was during this operation that the situation took a tragic turn. Eyewitness accounts indicate that a group of armed individuals, believed to be members of the drug syndicate, suddenly appeared and opened fire. Officer Jide was shot in the neck at close range.
He was immediately rushed to a nearby medical facility by his colleagues, but despite efforts to save his life, he was pronounced dead on arrival by attending doctors.
In response to the deadly ambush, security forces swiftly mobilized. The spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Superintendent Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the incident during a telephone interview with reporters.
“Upon receiving the distress call, our officers were immediately deployed to the scene. So far, four key suspects have been apprehended and are currently in our custody,” SP Ayanlade stated.
He further revealed that a single-barrel firearm believed to have been used in the attack was recovered from the suspects. Investigations, he said, are ongoing, and the police are working closely with the NDLEA to ensure that every individual involved in the brutal killing is identified and brought to justice.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Ondo community, with calls for intensified crackdowns on criminal drug networks and enhanced protection for law enforcement personnel on duty.