DPO ‘Mistakenly’ Killed Himself – Police

The divisional police officer in Odudu, Cross River State, was not shot dead by anyone but rather accidentally died from his own gun while trying to load it, the police in the state have reportedly said.

Our correspondent reported earlier how the officer, Gabriel Amawu, a deputy superintendent of police, died of gunshot on Tuesday night during a stand-off between the police and the students of the Federal College of Education, Obudu.

The students were said to have besieged the police station to demand the release of some of their fellow students arrested that night by the police.

GIO TV reported that the commissioner of police in the state, Nkereuwem Akpan, said the late police officer “died from accidental discharge from a gun he was trying to load”.

Mr Akpan, according to the Nations report, said the arrested students were suspected cultists.

The police commissioner said the divisional police officer died inside the Obudu police station.

Our correspondent could not immediately reach the police spokesperson in the state, Irene Ugbo, as she did not respond to calls to her telephone line.