The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is in mourning after the sudden death of its Cross River State Commander, Chief Narcotics Officer Ogbonna Uzoma.
According to a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, Ogbonna, who only took over the command on August 18, 2025, was found dead in his hotel room in Calabar on Thursday, September 18.
Babafemi explained that Ogbonna was expected to lead his officers for an assignment at 10 a.m., but by 9 a.m. there was no word from him. Calls to his phone went unanswered. Officers, together with hotel staff, went to his room but could not open the door.
A hotel attendant eventually entered the room through the ceiling and found him lifeless.
The police were immediately called, and the Commissioner of Police in Cross River State visited the scene. Investigations into the cause of death are ongoing.
NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), has directed the agency’s Zonal Commander, ACGN Mathew Ewah, to relocate to Calabar to support the investigation.
Marwa also sent condolences to Ogbonna’s family, saying:
“The Agency stands with the family in this trying moment. We pray that God will comfort them and grant the departed eternal rest.”
Though his time in Cross River was brief, Ogbonna was said to be active and committed to his duties from the first day.
Cross River State has been a major focus of NDLEA operations. In June 2025, the agency destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis farm in the state and seized large quantities of illegal drugs.