“If he was mentally ill, he should not have been given a rifle or sent on duty. This was not a mental illness. It was a dispute over money that turned deadly,” said Promise.
By TheInvestigator
The family of a woman shot and killed by a police officer in Calabar, Cross River State, has accused the authorities of abandoning them more than three months after the incident occurred.
Mrs Ijeoma Wilson Obote, a 50-year-old hair stylist, was killed on March 23, 2025, during a reported disturbance involving Inspector Bassey Effiong, a serving officer attached to Atakpa Police Division. The incident occurred in the vicinity of the African Club, Calabar South Local Government Area, while the deceased was returning from the market.
The deceased’s children alleged that despite early visits and promises from government and police officials, no financial or legal assistance has been provided to the family. They noted that their mother’s body remains in the mortuary due to a lack of funds for burial.
The son, Promise Wilson Obote, said, “We were visited by the Deputy Governor, the Chief of Staff, and the Commissioner of Police. They all made promises, but since then, we’ve been left on our own.”
The daughter, Miracle Obote, added that the family received ₦50,000 from the then Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 6, Bala Mustapha Mohammed, and ₦80,000 from a local lawmaker to help deposit the body in the morgue. She said no further support has followed.
The police have stated that the officer responsible for the shooting was mentally unstable. Former Commissioner of Police in the state, Olusegun Omosanyin, confirmed that Inspector Effiong had been dismissed from service, charged to court, and is currently on remand. He also said the officer’s wife was demoted for allegedly hiding her husband’s medical condition from authorities.
However, the family of the deceased strongly disputes the police’s claim. According to them, the shooting stemmed from a dispute between the officer and his DPO over a ₦20 million operation-related payment. They allege that the officer, during a police interview, admitted being angry over receiving only ₦500,000 and not his agreed share.
“If he were mentally ill, he should not have been given a rifle or sent on duty. This was not a mental illness. It was a dispute over money that turned deadly,” said Promise.