By Anietie Akpan
The Cross River State Police Command has expressed regrets over the shooting incident that occurred in the early hours of Sunday, March 23, 2025, at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Atakpa, Calabar.
A statement dated March 23, issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Cross River State Command, SP Ugbo Irene, confirmed that only one person died (not three as earlier reported) from the incident and two others are receiving treatment in the hospital.
The statement said, “an officer, Inspector Effiong Bassey, serving at the mentioned division, returned from his night duty at Ekondo Microfinance Bank and began to exhibit abnormal behavior. Inspector Bassey refused to hand over the AK-47 rifle he was assigned and instead proceeded to block the station’s gate, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the premises. Despite attempts at peaceful dialogue to resolve the situation, the officer’s actions escalated.
“Subsequently, Tactical Units/Patrol teams were deployed to the scene, where Inspector Bassey, suspected to be mentally deranged, opened fire on bystanders who had been instructed to leave the area”.
Tragically, the police said, “three individuals were struck by the officer’s stray bullets, including Ijeoma Wilson Obot, a 41-year-old female, who later succumbed to her injuries. The other two victims, Charles Mkpang and another individual, are currently receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition”.
According to the statement, the officer involved, “was eventually subdued, disarmed, and is now in police custody. He is undergoing further investigation into the incident.
“The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6 Headquarters, Calabar, and the Cross River State Command Management Team visited the hospital where the victims were receiving care. The AIG also made a donation to support the immediate treatment of the injured. Efforts to engage with key stakeholders are ongoing to ensure that the tension in the community is de-escalated”.
The Police Command urged the families of the victims and the public to remain calm as the investigation into this unfortunate incident continues and “the State Police Command is committed to ensuring that justice, fairness, and equity prevail, and the outcome of the investigation will be made public in due course.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery”.