Sept. 6, 2025
The Cross River State Police Command has announced plans to conduct an autopsy on the remains of 22-year-old Moses Mba, who was allegedly shot by a policeman attached to the residence of Governor Bassey Otu.
Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Calabar on Saturday. He explained that the move was necessary to establish the exact cause of death. According to him, “Yes, shooting may be involved, but we need to know what caused the death.”
Afegbua confirmed that the command had finalized arrangements with medical experts to perform the procedure. “We have concluded plans to carry out an autopsy; we need to ascertain if he really died of gunshot injury. The outcome will be made public,” the police chief assured.
Reports indicate that Mba was shot in the leg on August 1 by a police officer assigned to Governor Otu’s residence. The incident immediately drew public concern, sparking questions over police conduct and the use of firearms in non-threatening situations.
Speaking with reporters, the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Victoria Mba, recounted that her son had gone to the governor’s residence insisting on seeing him. “He was beaten, shot, and left on his own right in front of the governor’s residence. It was an official of the Red Cross Society who rushed him to the hospital,” she alleged.
Mrs. Mba further revealed that her son died on August 9 at the Naval Reference Hospital, Calabar, after succumbing to complications from the gunshot injury. She said before his death, “he told me and my husband that he only requested to see the governor, and that he had a message for him from God.”
Calling for accountability, she stressed that the family is demanding justice. “We are calling for justice to be done, nobody has the right to take the life of another person, so justice should be done on this matter,” she insisted.
The case has since stirred strong emotions among residents and human rights advocates, who argue that excessive use of force by security personnel remains a growing concern in Nigeria. Legal experts have also underscored the importance of an autopsy to determine responsibility and ensure transparency.
Responding to the controversy, the Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, maintained that the late Mba was not mentally stable. He added that “let it be also known that the place the boy visited is not the governor’s current residence.”
The state government’s clarification has however raised further debate, with civil society groups insisting that the focus should remain on the conduct of the policeman involved and the circumstances that led to the young man’s death.
As the autopsy prepares to get underway, the police command has pledged to keep the public informed of its findings. Observers say the outcome will determine the next legal steps and whether disciplinary or criminal charges will follow against the officer linked to the shooting. GMTNewsng
