By Anietie Akpan
Tragedy struck on Sunday morning in Calabar, Cross River state as a policeman suspected to be mentally unstable went berserk and shot three people dead.
However, the area of the incident has been cordoned off and the police confirmed the incident saying the officer involved has been arrested .
The incident occurred at the Atakpaa Division police station by the popular Watt market and sources said the police officer had shown signs of mental health challenge in the station but was not confronted immediately as his colleagues were said to have been apprehensive.
But suddenly, the sources said “he started shooting sporadically into the air. At that moment many of the policemen started running, with some scaling the fence over to the Yo.ruba line in the Watt market.
“When he stood up, he walked towards the road and then started shooting again. Three persons were hit by stray bullets,”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo confirmed the incident saying , “The Inspector came from bit, and all of a sudden he started misbehaving. We don’t know the cause of his irrational behaviour. He started shooting sporadically into the air, and telling people not to come near him.
“In the process three people were hit. One woman is dead right now, two are in the hospital and in critical condition. The Inspector has been arrested. He’s in our custody,”.
Meanwhile panic has gripped the entire Watt environment as some traders that sell by the roadside as the main market is usually opened on Sundays have disappeared with their wares while some were seen in clusters discussing the incident.