The Cross River State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Morrison Ogbonna, was found dead in his hotel room in Calabar early Thursday, authorities confirmed.
Director, Media & Advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Friday, said “CN Ogbonna had been up and doing at his new Command and was billed to lead his officers on some scheduled engagements at 10am on Thursday 18th September 2025. But when his officers didn’t hear from him by 9am, they went to his hotel room in company of the hotel staff while several knocks at his door and calls to his telephone line went unanswered.
“Attempts by the hotel staff to open or force the door open from outside failed, after which one of the 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 had recently assumed the position in August 2025, replacing Rachel Umebuali, and was residing temporarily in hotel accommodation in Calabar.
Police Public Relations Officer in Cross River, SP Irene Ugbo-Obase, confirmed the report, stating that the cause of death is yet unknown. She added that investigations into the incident have commenced.
