Drunken cop kills colleague, self on duty!

FROM JOE EFFIONG & AMAOWO UDOFIA, UYO

Hell was let loose on Sunday evening when one of the mobile policemen guarding the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Uyo branch ran amok killing two persons including himself while injuring several others. Daily Sun learnt that the mobile policeman had gone out and returned drunk but demanded for his rifle, which was denied him due to his drunken state, but he forced his way into the armoury, seized a rifle with 30 live ammunition and started firing at random.

It was gathered that the policeman killed his colleague, who tried to prevent him from gaining access into the armoury before firing at two other policemen, Ibok and Muhammed, on duty.
Apart from the police casualty, it was gathered that one Ubong Udosen, who works in the electrical/technical department of the CBN was hit by the assailant’s bullet.
Unconfirmed report has it that the drunk policeman might not have killed himself as the police authorities claim, rather he might have been shot dead by some of his colleagues when he became uncontrollable and was considered a serious security risk.

It was not, however, clear whether it was his colleagues on duty on the CBN premises that silenced him or men from the security outfit in the state code-named Robot, who were attracted by the sporadic gunshots at the bank. It was learnt they helped in bringing sanity to the premises.

The two injured policemen, one of whom was shot in the crotch, were successfully operated upon in a private hospital along Ben Udo Street, Uyo. Daily Sun learnt that they were responding to treatment.
But the case of Udosen was still critical as at 4.00pm yesterday, as he could not talk or move any of his limbs and had to be tube-fed.
Our correspondent learnt that they were initially rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital but were not given immediate attention. The team had to take them to a private clinic, which mortuary the corpses of the two policemen were equally deposited.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Onyeka Orji, when contacted said the matter was being investigated.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, who equally confirmed the incident, however said it was a case of accidental discharge, which was promptly brought under control. He said the command had even informed the IGP of the incident.

POLICE NABS CHILD-WITCH SELLER IN AKWA IBOM STATE.

Children accused of witchcraft are tortured and killed.


A 28 year old woman (name withheld) has been arrested by a special police detective team in Eket for attempting to sell a seven year old boy. A police source said in Eket.

The youngster who is said to be her step-son was, however, living with his biological mother until the father requested to take full responsibility of him. Apparently angered by the child’s arrival, the step-mother contracted a pastor to screen the little boy to ascertain if he was possessed with witchcraft spell or not. On confirmation that the boy was possessed, he was reportedly disappeared from the house a few days after.

A dependable source said the lady who operates a local Hotel called Prince Udoette Hotel in Ikot Idung Offiong community had arranged with a Port-Harcourt based child trafficking syndicate to pick the boy in a location along Uqua Road, in the heart of Eket, but the late arrival of the Port Harcourt dealer spoiled the show, as the detectives swooped the scene and arrested the lady on a tip-off.

The community source did not confirm whether the hotel was used as a conduit for the sales of other children; but stressed that she’s been notorious for dealing with suspicious elements coming to the community.

She confessed to the police that she was scared based on the prophet’s instruction that the boy will infect her children with his magical power. When the man of God told me that he will transfer the spell to my children, or kill them, I was really afraid…” she said.
The a police inspector in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who did not want his name mentioned said that sales of children of Akwa Ibom origin to syndicates coming from Aba and Port-Harcourt was a common phenomenon. “They have a robust network, which keeps buying more and more children here in the State. It depends on the sex, the age of the child and the negotiation. A male child is said to be sold between N150, 000 to N170, 000 a female is between N130, 000 to N50, 000. But it varies on age.” The officer said. “Our team is monitoring them… We will get them all,” he added.

But the coordinator of a human right group, Freedom Impact International (FII), Mr Jackson Bas, though commended the police for rescuing the child; he expressed scepticism over the willingness of the police to prosecute the culprit.

“This is not the first time they have arrested child traffickers. They have been doing so before; we know about this. How many of them have been taken to court. Police will keep them in the cell till their men will come and bail them out with money they called bond…” Bas noted.

He appealed to the government not to turn a blind eye to the torture and killing of children and elderly people who are accused of practicing witchcraft or sorcery.