Nkereuwem Akpan, the Commissioner of Police in Cross River State has confirmed the death of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the Obudu local government area of Cross River State, Mr. Gabriel Amawu.
Amawu was shot dead during a face-off with some protesting youths from the College of Education, Obudu on Tuesday night.
According to the Commissioner of Police, the late DPO was not shot dead in the fracas that ensued at the Obudu Police Station between the protesting youths and students of the college of Education Obudu, rather he died from accidental discharge from a gun he was trying to load.
The CP yesterday told newsmen that the incident occurred on Tuesday night when some youths and students from the Federal College of Education suspected to be cultists were arrested and taken to the station. The students and youths mobilized in large numbers and besieged the station.
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The police in an effort to disperse the crowd shot into the air and succeeded in dispersing them. Coincidentally, the late DPO was trying to load his magazine but suffered an accidental discharge from the gun he was loading.
A witness, who declined giving his details, alleged that when the large crowd invaded the station, there was the rowdy session, which led to a police officer discharging his weapon in the air but said: “It is still unclear how Amawu whom initially, reports say he was shot in the head, but nobody can ascertain which of the bullet killed him”.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Calabar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Irene Ugbo, also spoke of the incident noting that in-depth investigations were being carried out.
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