The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of its Cross River State Commander, Chief Narcotics Officer Ogbonna Uzoma.
Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA headquarters, Femi Babafemi, confirmed in a statement on Friday that Uzoma, who assumed duty on August 18, 2025, was discovered lifeless in his hotel room in Calabar on Thursday after failing to appear for scheduled official engagements.
According to Babafemi, the commander was expected to lead his officers on an assignment at 10 a.m. on September 18, but when he could not be reached by 9 a.m., colleagues, accompanied by hotel staff, went to his room.
After repeated knocks and unanswered phone calls, an attendant had to enter through the ceiling to open the door from inside, where Uzoma’s body was found.
The state police were immediately notified, with the Commissioner of Police personally visiting the scene. Investigations into the cause of death are ongoing.
To support the inquiry, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), directed the Zonal Commander, Zone 14, ACGN Mathew Ewah, to relocate to Calabar.
Expressing condolences, 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 brief, Uzoma was described as energetic and proactive, having quickly mobilised his officers for operational planning upon resumption.
Read Also:https://fusionchronicles.ng/police-arrest-four-for-vandalising-school-transformer-in-kebbi/
Cross River has remained a focal point of NDLEA operations. In June 2025, the agency destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis farm in the state and recorded significant seizures of illicit drugs during the same period.
