By Anietie Akpan
The trigger happy Police officer who shot and killed one person and injured two others in Calabar, Cross River state, has been dismissed from service.
Accordingly, the said officer, Inspector, Effiong Bassey, has been charged to court, and remanded at Afokang Correctional Centre.
Briefing some newsmen at the Cross River State Police Command at weekend, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Irene Ugbo, said that, “the police officer has been duly dismissed, charged to court, and remanded at Afokang Correctional Centre.”
Reacting to some reports in the media that the Police had abandoned the victims of the shooting by the irate police inspector, Ugbo, frowned at such reports that are carried without verifying, and urged media professionals to always verify their reports before going public, saying, “at no time did we abandon any of the victims include the family of the deceased”.
She further stressing that the Command was surprised to read the unverified reports about victims not being cared for adding, “we visited the deceased family on the same day, and also went to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital to see the injured victims, who underwent a successful surgery.
“As we speak, the victim is recuperating, and we are making efforts to ensure that all affected parties are well taken care of”.
Ugbo further explained that, “as a matter of fact we gave financial support from day one when the incident happened, and nobody including the deceased family, victims and their family who were not carried along.
“I can assure that the surgery on the victim who was shot in the neck was successful and he is recovering fast, and we shall give further update on his health”.
Recall that in the early hours of Sunday, March 23, 2025, at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Atakpa, by Watt market in Calabar, a mentally unstable Police officer had gone berserk and opened fire recklessly at members of the public, killing one and injured two.