Tragedy struck in Calabar, Cross River State, on Sunday morning when a police officer suspected to be mentally unstable went on a shooting spree, killing three people.
The shocking incident occurred at the Atakpaa Division police station, near the bustling Watt Market.
Sources revealed that the officer had been displaying signs of mental distress, but his colleagues hesitated to confront him.
According to a source, he suddenly began firing shots into the air, causing panic.
Officers reportedly fled, some even scaling the fence into the nearby Yoruba Line section of the market.
“He started shooting sporadically into the air. At that moment, many of the policemen started running, with some scaling the fence over to the Yoruba Line in the Watt Market,” the source said.
Eyewitnesses explained that after an initial round of gunfire, the officer walked toward the road and resumed shooting, hitting three unsuspecting victims.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident, stating, “The Inspector returned from duty and suddenly began acting irrationally, shooting sporadically and warning people to stay away.
“Unfortunately, three people were hit. One woman has died, while two others are in critical condition. The officer has been arrested and is in custody,” Ugbo stated.
Following the attack, fear gripped the Watt Market area, with traders abandoning their stalls while others huddled in shock, discussing the tragedy.