By Emmanuel Unah
Tragedy struck again at the Cross River Police Command during the weekend when the riffle of a Policeman, Sergeant Ubi Arikpo accidentally went off and shot dead his colleague, Sergeant Francis Agube.
A Police source at Atakpa Police Station in Calabar South narrated that the incident took place infront of the station while the pickup van carrying the team of Policemen on patrol was passing through the gate of the station.
“The team was from the State CID unit at the Police headquarters, Diamond Hill. They were on patrol duty and as they passing though this road (Calabar Road, Watt Market). They were driving from Effigy Roundabout, towards the station when they got infront of the station Sergeant Ubi wanted to adjust his gun and it discharged accidentally and shot Sergeant Agube who was sitting directly opposite him,” a Police source said.
According to our source, the shot hit Agube on his neck shattering his gullet and face, killing him on the spot.
“That spot where they covered sand on the road infront of the station was where Agube was pulled to the ground from the van by the impact of the shot”.
Another source at the Command headquartres said Agube was from Abi Local Government Area while Arikpo who accidentally shot him is from Yakkur Local Government Area.
Both of them are from Cross River State. Arikpo has been arrested and is on detention here at the headquartres while Agube’s body is in the mortuary.
Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River Police Command Spokesman when contacted did not provide much information other than, “the tragedy is being investigated to unravel the cause.”
Last year, over four Policemen serving in the command were killed by unknown gunmen while on night duty at Idundu on the outskirts of Calabar and Obubra.