SHOCKER IN CALABAR: Newly Appointed NDLEA Commander Found Dead in Hotel Room

  Naija News has taken to its online news handle and announced that, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has been thrown into mourning following the sudden and mysterious death of its Cross River State Commander, Chief Narcotics Officer (CN) Ogbonna Maurice Uzoma, barely one month after assuming duty in Calabar.

In a statement issued on Friday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the news of Uzoma’s demise was relayed to the Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), during a retreat for Heads of Agencies in Maiduguri, Borno State.

According to the agency, the late commander, who resumed office on August 18, 2025, had taken temporary lodging in a hotel in Calabar while arrangements for permanent accommodation were being finalized.

Uzoma was scheduled to lead his officers for official engagements by 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 18. However, when he failed to respond to calls and knocks on his hotel room door by 9 a.m., concerned officers, accompanied by hotel staff, attempted to reach him.

Attempts to unlock the door from outside failed, forcing one of the hotel attendants to crawl through the ceiling to gain access. To their shock, Uzoma’s lifeless body was discovered inside the room.

The statement further disclosed that the Cross River State Commissioner of Police personally visited the scene, and investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of death.

To bolster police efforts, NDLEA Chairman Marwa has directed the Zonal Commander of Zone 14, ACGN Mathew Ewah, to relocate immediately to Calabar.

While commiserating with the bereaved family, Marwa described Uzoma’s death as a painful loss to the agency, noting that he had already begun making a mark in his new command.

> “The Agency stands with the family in this trying moment and prays that God grants them the fortitude to bear the loss while granting the departed eternal rest,” Marwa said.
The sudden death of the commander, who had barely settled into his new role, has raised questions, with colleagues and residents of Calabar anxiously awaiting the outcome of the ongoing police investigation.