The family of a 50-year-old woman, Mrs Ijeoma Wilson Obote, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Calabar on March 23, has accused the authorities of neglect and lack of support.
According to her children, Promise and Miracle Obote, their mother was killed near the Atakpa Police Division, allegedly by Inspector Bassey Effiong, a serving officer who was on duty at the time of the incident. The family said Mrs. Obote was shot while returning from the market during a disturbance involving the officer.
The deceased, a hair stylist at the Watt Shopping Centre, was said to have been caught in the crossfire when the officer reportedly engaged other police personnel after a dispute with his Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
In a heart-wrenching interview with The Guardian in Calabar, her children described how their mother was gunned down on Sunday, March 23, 2025, allegedly by Inspector Bassey Effiong, attached to Atakpa Police Division. Since that day, they say, their mother’s body has remained in the morgue.
They alleged that police officials initially visited the family and promised assistance, but no follow-up actions were taken.
“The Deputy Governor, Chief of Staff, Commissioner of Police, and others came to our house shortly after the incident, but nothing has happened since then,” Promise said.
The daughter, Miracle, confirmed that the family had received ₦80,000 from a local House of Assembly member and ₦50,000 from the then Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Zone 6 to cover the cost of depositing the corpse in the mortuary. She said the police or the government has provided no further support.
The family also disputed claims that the officer responsible for the shooting was mentally ill. They stated that the officer himself had mentioned during a police interview that he had a financial disagreement with his DPO over the sharing of ₦20 million recovered during a previous operation.
According to the family, the officer reportedly stated that he received ₦500,000 and demanded a larger share, which allegedly led to his confrontation with his superiors.
In response to enquiries, former Cross River State Commissioner of Police Olusegun Omosanyin, in a WhatsApp interview, told The Guardian that the incident occurred before he assumed office. He confirmed that the officer had been dismissed from the police force, charged to court, and is currently on remand at the Calabar Correctional Centre.
Omosanyin also stated that the officer, who allegedly concealed his mental health condition from authorities, had been demoted. He said the police had forwarded requests to the state government to provide support to the family of the deceased, but no response had been received.
The Obote family said they are unable to bury their mother due to a lack of funds and are calling on the state government and relevant authorities to intervene and ensure that justice is served.
