THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has lost its Cross River State Commander, Ogbonna Uzoma, a Chief Narcotics Officer.
He was discovered dead in a hotel room in Calabar, Cross River State, on Thursday, September 18.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed in a statement on Friday, September 19, that Uzoma, who only assumed office on August 18, failed to appear for a scheduled assignment and was later found lifeless after colleagues and hotel staff forced his room open.
According to Babafemi, the police were immediately notified and have since commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death.
He added that NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, a retired brigadier general, directed the Zonal Commander, Mathew Ewah, to relocate to Calabar to support the inquiry.
Although the cause of death is still unknown, the agency has pledged full cooperation with the police and expressed sympathy to Uzoma’s family.
“The Agency stands with the family in this trying moment, and we pray that God will comfort them and grant the departed eternal rest,” the NDLEA said.
Ogbonna’s tenure in Cross River was short but marked by some significant activities, as he had already begun coordinating operations upon assuming duty.
Cross River has, in recent years, been a critical base for NDLEA operations. In June 2025, the agency destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis farm in the state and recorded major drug seizures.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance