An operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has been shot dead in Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east, by gunmen.

The operative was killed, Sunday morning, during an attack on NDLEA team on duty along the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.

Another officer of the agency reportedly sustained serious injury.

The attack took place around 3 a.m. close to a military checkpoint, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

The gunmen took a rifle from the NDLEA officers before setting ablaze the agency’s patrol truck.

“On 20th February 2022, Sunday morning at about 300hrs at a drug checkpoint along Enugu Abakaliki expressway at Ezzangbo, unknown gunmen attacked drug law enforcement agents and shot two drug officers on duty.

“One officer killed while the other one was shot in the leg which fractured his leg. One rifle collected, one patrol Hilux Van burnt. The names of the victims not yet disclosed,” a source told PREMIUM TIMES.

The NDLEA spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Audu Benji, said he was in a meeting and would get back to our reporter on the incident after the meeting.

Mr Benji did not, however, get back to our reporters. He did not also respond to calls and text messages.

The police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odah, did not respond to calls seeking her comment.

The attack is coming barely six days after three police officers were shot dead by gunmen at the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway in Ebonyi.

The three officers were gunned down in front of the Ezillo police station where they were manning a roadblock along the expressway.