By Obinna Uballa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is mourning the sudden death of its Cross River State Commander, Chief Narcotics Officer Ogbonna Uzoma, who was found lifeless in his hotel room in Calabar on Thursday.
Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday. He said the late commander, who assumed duty in the state on August 18, was scheduled to lead his officers on an operation at 10 a.m. on September 18 but failed to show up.
“When his officers didn’t hear from him by 9 a.m., they went to his hotel room with the help of hotel staff. Several knocks and phone calls went unanswered. Attempts to force the door open from outside failed until one of the attendants entered through the ceiling aperture and unlocked the door from inside. They then found the Commander’s lifeless body,” Babafemi said.
The Cross River Police Command was immediately alerted, with the Commissioner of Police personally visiting the scene. An investigation into the cause of death has begun, the statement said.
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), has directed the Zonal Commander, Zone 14, ACGN Mathew Ewah, to relocate to Calabar to support the inquiry.
“The Agency stands with the family in this trying moment, and we pray that God will comfort them and grant the departed eternal rest,” Marwa said while commiserating with the bereaved family.
Although Uzoma’s tenure was brief, he had reportedly hit the ground running, actively engaging his officers in operational planning upon assumption of duty in August.
Cross River has in recent years been a focal point for NDLEA operations. In June 2025, the agency destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis farm in the state and made several major drug seizures, according to the statement.
