The Cross River State Police Command has dismissed an officer, Inspector Effiong Bassey, who killed a woman and injured two others in Calabar, the state capital.

It will be recalled that on Sunday, March 23, 2025, Bassey went berserk and opened fire on bystanders near Atakpa Police Station along Watt Market Road.

Three officer’s stray bullets struck three persons, including Charles Nkpang Ene (pictured) and Ijeoma Wilson Obot.

Mrs Obot, said to be a retired police officer’s wife later succumbed to her injuries.

The spokesman of the command, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the dismissal in a statement on Monday, April 14, said Bassey had been charged to court and remanded at the Afokang Correctional Centre.

“The Police Officer has been duly dismissed, charged to court and remanded at Afokang Correctional Centre. 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,” the statement read.

“As we speak, the victim is recuperating, and we are making efforts to ensure that all affected parties are well taken care of. At no time did we abandon any of the victims, including the family of the deceased.

“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 families who were not carried along. I can assure you that the surgery on the victim who was shot in the neck was successful and he is recovering fast, and we shall give further updates on his health.”

She criticised what she described as unverified reports suggesting that the police had neglected the victims, urging journalists to confirm details before publication.