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 Maurice Uzoma. Uzoma, who only assumed office on August 18, 2025, was found lifeless in his hotel room in Calabar on Thursday, September 18.
According to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the late commander had been scheduled to lead his officers on engagements that morning. When he failed to show up by 9 a.m., colleagues, in company with hotel staff, went to check on him. Several knocks on his door and calls to his mobile phone went unanswered. Efforts to force the door open failed, forcing one of the hotel attendants to access the room through a ceiling opening. It was then that Uzoma’s lifeless body was discovered.
The Cross River State Police Command was immediately alerted. The state Commissioner of Police personally visited the scene, while detectives have since commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death. To support the inquiry, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), directed the Zonal Commander, Zone 14, Assistant Comptroller General of Narcotics Matthew Ewah, to relocate to Calabar and assist the police.
While the cause of Uzoma’s death is yet to be determined, the NDLEA has described the development as a painful loss. Marwa, who was in Maiduguri attending a retreat for heads of government agencies when the news broke, commiserated with the family of the late commander, assuring them of the agency’s full support during this difficult period. He prayed for comfort for the bereaved family and for the soul of the deceased to rest in peace.
Although his tenure in Cross River was brief, Uzoma was said to have hit the ground running, quickly engaging officers in operational planning. Cross River has been a hotspot for NDLEA activities in recent years. In June 2025, the agency destroyed a 30-hectare cannabis farm in the state and seized large quantities of illicit drugs. Uzoma was expected to continue consolidating on these operations before his untimely passing.
