The Atakpa Police Station in Calabar remains sealed off nearly a week after Inspector Effiong Bassey went on a shooting rampage last Sunday morning, killing innocent bystanders.
Fearing retaliatory attacks from the victims’ relatives and friends, security has been intensified around the station, with four police vans deployed to prevent any assault.
Inspector Bassey, who is currently in custody following a magistrate court order, was reportedly under the influence of substances during the incident.
In a statement, Superintendent Irene Ugbo, spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, suggested that Bassey was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Hon. Effiong Ekarika, the lawmaker representing the area, bravely disarmed Bassey, preventing further bloodshed—an act commended by the state’s acting governor, Dr. Peter Odey.
Tensions flared when the son of one of the victims, who resides in Bayside, threatened to set the police station on fire in revenge for his mother’s death.
As a precaution, authorities shut down one lane of the usually busy Calabar Road, leading to traffic congestion and diversions.
Investigations also uncovered troubling aspects of Bassey’s personal life.
Married to fellow officer Inspector Juliana Iwara, the couple lived in a two-bedroom apartment.
Juliana, who is stationed at the Area Police Command in Akim, Calabar, has since abandoned her roadside provisions shop out of fear for her safety.
Neighbors revealed that Bassey frequently displayed violent tendencies, often beating his three young children and vandalizing his wife’s shop in fits of rage.
In response to the tragic incident, the Cross River State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has urged for regular mental health assessments for security personnel, particularly police officers, to help prevent future occurrences.