NDLEA MOURNS CROSS RIVER COMMANDER, OGBONNA MAURICE

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has confirmed the sudden death of its Cross River State Commander, OGBONNA MAURICE UZOMA. NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, FEMI BABAFEMI, said Narcotic Commander UZOMA slumped and died in a hotel where he had taken up temporary residence, one month after he was transferred to Calabar on August 18, 2025. BABAFEMI disclosed in a statement that NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Brigadier General MOHAMED BUBA MARWA, who is attending a retreat in Maiduguri, Borno State, received the information at his location. He noted that CN OGBONNA had been up and doing at his new Command and was billed to lead his officers on some scheduled engagements on Thursday, September 18, 2025, but he did not show up. The NDLEA spokesman further noted that when his officers did not hear from him by 9AM for the assignment for 10AM, they went to his hotel, and in company of the hotel staff, accessed his room and found his lifeless body. “Attempts by the hotel staff to open or force the door open from outside failed, after which one of the hotel attendants had to go through the ceiling aperture to enter the room and open the door from inside, where they found the Commander’s lifeless body”, he noted. FEMI BABAFEMI further said that the incident was promptly reported to the Cross River State Police Command and the Commissioner of Police led a team of detectives to visit to the scene, adding that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of death. BABAFEMI said the NDLEA Chairman has since directed the Zonal Commander, Zone 14 Command of NDLEA, ACGN MATHEW EWAH, to relocate to Calabar and assist police investigation. He said retired Brigadier General MARWA also commiserated with the family of the deceased senior officer, assuring them that the Agency stands with them in this trying moment, and prayed that God will comfort them and grant the departed eternal rest.