The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of its Cross River State Commander, Chief Narcotics Officer Ogbonna Uzoma.
Uzoma, who assumed duty on August 18, 2025, was discovered lifeless in his hotel room in Calabar on Thursday after he failed to show up for scheduled engagements.
Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday.
He explained that Uzoma was expected to lead his officers to an official assignment at 10 a.m. on September 18, but by 9 a.m. when no word was heard from him, his men, in the company of hotel staff, went to his room. Several knocks and calls to his phone reportedly went unanswered.
“Attempts by the hotel staff to open or force the door open from outside failed. One of the attendants eventually went through the ceiling aperture into the room, where the Commander’s lifeless body was found,” Babafemi stated.
He added that the Cross River State Police Command was immediately alerted, with the Commissioner of Police personally visiting the scene. Investigations into the cause of death have since commenced.
To strengthen the process, NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), directed the Zonal Commander, Zone 14, ACGN Mathew Ewah, to relocate to Calabar and assist the police.
While the cause of Uzoma’s death is yet to be determined, the agency has expressed deep sympathy to his family.
In his condolence message, Marwa said, “The Agency stands with the family in this trying moment, and we pray that God will comfort them and grant the departed eternal rest.”
Though his tenure was short, Uzoma was described as an active and committed officer who had already begun operational planning with his team since assuming duty in Cross River.
Cross River has remained a hotspot for NDLEA operations. In June 2025, the agency destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis farm in the state and made significant seizures of illicit drugs.
