The Cross River State commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Morrison Ogbonna, has been confirmed dead after being discovered unresponsive in a Calabar hotel room on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Sources said NDLEA officers, who were scheduled to accompany him for an official assignment, became concerned when he failed to answer repeated knocks on his door.
The hotel management was called in and the room was forced open, where Ogbonna was found motionless.
Police in the state have acknowledged the incident but said the cause of death has not yet been determined.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo-Obase, told reporters that investigations have commenced to establish the circumstances surrounding the case.
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Ogbonna only took charge of the Cross River command in August after being transferred from Anambra State.
His sudden passing comes barely weeks into his tenure.
The NDLEA has not yet released a formal statement, though senior officials of the agency have privately expressed shock at the loss.
His remains have been moved to a medical facility for examination, while authorities continue their probe.