The deceased, Mrs. Ijeoma Wilson Obote.
By Anietie Akpan
The family of Mrs. Ijeoma Wilson Obote, a 50-year-old hair stylist shot and killed by an insane police officer in Calabar, Cross River State, has accused the authorities of neglect.
Obote was killed on March 23, 2025, when a police Inspector Bassey Effiong, attached to Atakpa Police Division, said to be mentally challenged went berserk and shot indiscriminately killing one and injured two others.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of African Club, Calabar South Local Government Area, while the deceased was returning from the market.
The deceased’s children, alleged that despite early visits and promises from government and police officials, no financial or legal assistance has been provided to the family.
They noted that their mother’s body has remained in the mortuary due to lack of funds for burial and the family is even finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Promise Wilson Obote, son to the deceased said, “We were visited by the Deputy Governor, the Chief of Staff, and the Commissioner of Police. They all made promises, but since then, we have been left on our own.”
Miracle Obote, the daughter added that the family received ₦50,000 from the then Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 6, Bala Mustapha Mohammed, and ₦80,000 from a local lawmaker to help deposit the body in the morgue. She said no further support has followed.
The police have stated that the officer responsible for the shooting was mentally unstable and the immediate past Commissioner of Police in the state, Olusegun Omosanyin, confirmed that Inspector Effiong had been dismissed from service, charged to court, and is currently on remand.
He also said the officer’s wife was demoted for allegedly hiding her husband’s medical condition from authorities.
However, the family of the deceased strongly disputes the police claim, alleging that the shooting stemmed from a dispute between the officer and his DPO over a ₦20 million operation-related payment.
They also alleged that the officer, during a police interview, admitted being angry over receiving only ₦500,000 and not his agreed share.
“If he was mentally ill, he should not have been given a rifle or sent on duty,” said Promise. “This was not mental illness. It was a dispute over money that turned deadly.
However the police authorities in the state have declined to comment on this latest allegation that the police inspector is not mentally challenged as the time of the incident.
Recall that one of the victims of the March 23 shooting, Charles Mkpang, had recently also raised the alarm of being abandoned by the authorities and he is struggling to survive.
According to Mkpang, the bullet wounds left him with partial paralysis and a hole in his mouth that still affects his ability to eat and speak. “If I drink water or eat, it comes out through my nose. I cannot lift my left hand or leg. I am living with pain every day.” He told reporters.
After initial surgery, Mkpang was moved to a stroke centre where he paid ₦18,000 daily for nearly three weeks. Though discharged, he continues to suffer from complications. He said doctors recommended a second surgery, but he lacks the funds.
