Panic erupted in Atakpa, near the popular Watt Market in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, after an arme...
Panic erupted in Atakpa, near the popular Watt Market in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, after an armed police officer allegedly opened fire, killing four innocent passersby.
Our correspondent gathered that the officer, whose identity was yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report, fired multiple shots, fatally hitting the victims.
“The victims were innocent passersby who had no altercation with the officer. I suspect he ran amok,” a source stated.
The shooting sparked chaos among residents and traders in the busy commercial area, prompting security operatives to barricade the road for fear of a reprisal attack from the victims' families and friends, whose identities were yet to be ascertained.
An eyewitness, Mrs. Theresa Etim, described the scene as terrifying, adding that residents and business owners fled in different directions following the gunfire.
As of the time of filing this report, the motive behind the shooting remained unclear.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Cross River State Police Command, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident.
“It’s true. We are currently at the scene of the incident,” she said.
“The officer misbehaved. We suspect he may have become mentally unstable. That is our suspicion at the moment,” she added.
Ugbo further stated that the police command was working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic shooting.
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