SUICIDE: National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Senior Officer Commits Suicide In Ondo Town

It was a tragic week for the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ondo State Command, as one of its senior officers, Mr. Friday Malu hanged himself in the agency’s office in Ondo town. The incident, which happened on Wednesday evening [Apr 11], caused pandemonium within the command as officers and men of the agency received the news with rude shock and disbelief.

Malu’s body was found in his office dangling with a rope on his neck and tied to the ceiling fan. A suicide note he wrote was also found on his table. Daily Sun gathered that the late senior narcotic officer and head of Ondo Area Operation did not state the reason why he decided to terminate his life.

According to informed sources, the officer’s decision to hang himself might not be unconnected with spiritual problems, which according to one his junior officer, who craved for anonymity, had affected the deceased psychologically.

The source said that the situation became worrisome for the late officer when all his efforts to find solution to the said spiritual problems proved abortive. The deceased used to complain bitterly about the problems anytime they were discussing during and after official work, he stated. When Daily Sun visited the NDLEA office in Ondo yesterday [Apr. 12], fresh leaves and palm leaves believed, to have been used to appease the gods by traditionalists before removing the corpse littered the place.

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Yaba Police Station, Ondo, Mike Okoh (CSP) said the police were able to recover a suicide note written by the late officer. Okoh stated that police had commenced investigation with a view to getting to the root of the matter.

NDLEA Public Relations Officer in the state, Peter Archibong confirmed that the agency lost one of its officers, Archibong, who described the death of Malu as unfortunate, however declined to comment on the circumstances that led to the death of his colleague whom he described as a gentle and committed officer.

The police spokesman, Adeniran Aremu (DSP) who also confirmed the incident described the incident as unfortunate, saying, the police in charge of Homicide Department were working with their colleagues in Ondo town to get the in-depth of the circumstances that led the officer to terminate his life.