Police, one other dead in a stop-and-search gone wrong

An attempt by a suspect to disarm a police corporal in Calabar, weekend, ended in the death of the Policeman, while colleagues of the dead policeman also gunned down the suspect.
An eyewitness, who gave his name as Ikechuckwu, said a team of policemen on patrol stopped a taxi in front of 268 Murtala Muhammed Highway (8 Miles) and asked two men seated at the back of the taxi to alight, but they refused.
According to Ikechuckwu, “the police van blocked the taxi and asked the two men at the back seat to alight, but they refused and the police had to force them out and after they alighted, one of them tried to collect a gun from one of the policemen.
“A struggle ensued and in the process, the gun discharged and killed the policeman, and in anger, another policeman shot the man dead.”
When contacted, Mr Hogan Bassey, the state Police spokesman, said the incident was a gun duel between the police and armed robbers.
“Robbers fired and killed one of our men and our men fired back and killed one of the robbers,” he said.