March 24, 2025 – Calabar, Cross River State.
There was a tragedy in Calabar, Cross River State, on Sunday morning when a drunken policeman took to the streets shooting civilians in the popular Watt Market, killing four and injuring several others.
At dawn on March 23, a bloody sight was seen at Atakpa, a neighborhood situated near the congested Watt Market in Calabar South Local Government Area. The chaos began when a drunk unidentified policeman emerged from the adjacent Atakpa Police Station with his gun cocked and began shooting in every direction.
The Incident was posted on the Police X (formerly twitter) handle “@CRS_PoliceNG”
Witnesses explained that the officer fired several rounds into the air, and some of the bullets struck innocent traders and bystanders in the vicinity. Four individuals were confirmed dead and some others hurt in the terrifying incident. The victims appeared to be random bystanders and had no apparent connection with the officer or any confrontation prior to the shooting, as per witnesses to the incident.
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One of the witnesses told of the situation, stating, “The victims were innocent individuals going about their daily duties with no quarrel or encounter with the officer. The policeman simply went crazy with no provocation.” According to another source, they fled for their lives from the area after the officer shot indiscriminately. “We were terrified; we didn’t know what was happening. It felt like we were in a war zone,” they stated.
Early reports described the policeman to have been similarly behaving in a manner not deemed rational before he opened fire. The Cross River State Police Command, in their own later-posted release on the shooting occurrence, substantiated the shooting episode but said very little regarding the officer’s status or mental condition. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Irene Ugbo described as “unacceptable” the conduct of the officer and speculated, “We suspect the officer might be suffering from a case of mental instability. That is what we are investigating now.”
As the inquiry continued, the officer who had been affected was found to be at the Atakpa Police Station in Calabar. Cross River State’s police command did not hesitate; they arrested the officer and put him under arrest. As far as the police acknowledged that what had happened was serious, other details regarding the identity of the officer and casualties were not immediately provided.
“The incident is under investigation to determine the full facts of the case, and the officer is in custody,” the police said on their official social media handle (@CRS_PoliceNG). “A full press statement will be made in due course.”
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Even as the police confirmed the occurrence, the magnitude of the tragedy was uncertain, with various reports on social media about the number of casualties and the identity of the victim. Some social media handles reported that the officer had “gone mad,” insinuating that the brutality was an isolated bout of mental instability and not a deliberate act of aggression.
The bystanders and witnesses were left stunned by the event, with everyone expressing shock at the actions of the police officer. Some of the residents and market traders who were in the vicinity witnessed that the shooting was totally unprovoked. “People were just trying to earn their daily bread or go about their day,” one witness described. “Out of the blue came gunshots, and people were falling. It was a nightmare.”
The Cross River State government has not issued any official statement, but public outcry against the shooting has been growing. The public and members of the business community are calling for immediate action and accountability, particularly for the mental state of the officer and the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
Meanwhile, the police command has assured the public that they are trying their best to untangle the situation. But the lack of clear data on the number of deaths and the name of the officer has only served to fuel public worry.
At the time of press, some of the police sources had suggested that there could possibly be additional casualties or injuries that were not yet reported officially. “We are still trying to put all the information together, but it’s obvious that this was an awful incident,” said one police source to GistNexus.
While the drama of the event is still unfolding, individuals residing in Calabar, especially in the Watt Market area, are left to grapple with the shock and despair of such a tragic and indiscriminate assault. Life at the market was brought to a halt as the facility was shut down by police for investigation, with some of the businesses closing after the tragedy.
The incident has sparked a broader issue of the mental well-being of law enforcement officers and the level of oversight in police stations. Concerns have been raised about how police officers, particularly those carrying firearms, are overseen for mental instability or stress.
While the Cross River State Police Command is still investigating, the community waits anxiously for answers and justice for the victims of the shooting. Yet, with the investigation only just beginning, the questions of motive and the scale of the carnage remain unanswered.
The police have promised to shed more light on the incident in the coming days, but for now, residents of Calabar are left with questions, not answers.
Editor’s Note: At press time, identities of the victims have not yet been confirmed. We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
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Reported by GistNexus Team and Edited by Mr. Chibueze Onwuka