Slain Rivers Policeman’s Wife Called His Phone 51 Times Unaware He Was Dead – CP Reveals

A police inspector, Sunday Baba, serving with the Rivers State Police Command, tragically lost his life under circumstances that are yet to be determined while on duty on Wednesday night.

In mourning Baba who was attached to the Rumuolumeni Police Division of the command, the state Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, said though those responsible for the inspector’s death fled the scene, their vehicle was recovered.

In a message he shared on X, the police chief said when the telephone of the slain policeman was recovered, it showed that his wife called him 51 times unaware that he was dead.

The police chief said he and some others bore the heavy burden of breaking the news to the bereaved woman.

His message read, “Yesterday night, Inspector Sunday Baba, a brave police officer serving at Rumuolumeni in Rivers State, made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty.

“Though the perpetrators fled, we recovered their vehicle. Tragically, the officer’s phone revealed 59 missed calls, 51 of which were from his wife. We bore the heavy burden of delivering the heart-wrenching news to her.

“Being a police officer means leaving home in good health, never certain of returning alive. Those who take the lives of police officers are murdering those who stand as the guardians of the people. Let’s honour the sacrifices of our officers, may their sacrifice not be in vain. Goodbye, Sunday.”

Reacting to Disu’s post, a tweep, Eguando, who identifies as @teguando1, wrote, “May his soul rest in peace.

“I usually tell people to respect not only the officers but their spouses who bear the burden of making the sacrifice spending the rest of their lives with uncertainty.

“They are always never certain of the next call they will receive.”

Dr Newdream, tweeting with the handle, @YusuffAbiola, wrote, “My heartfelt condolences to the family of Officer Sunday, he died a hero. RIP.”

Seun Nuės, who tweets as @daemperor007, wrote, ” Hmmm. The scary thoughts, the anticipation, the fear and then the revelation, the sudden sharp pain, and the sudden hollow darkness the wife would feel when she was informed.

“My sincere condolences to his family and the Rivers Police command. May his soul RIP.”

This is not the first time that policemen attached to the command will be attacked and killed in recent times.

On February 21, 2024, an Inspector was killed by gunmen who ambushed and attacked policemen on a stop-and-search duty at the Eliozu flyover in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson for the state police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement issued at the time, said the gunmen, who were spotted in a carton-coloured Sienna bus with fully tinted glasses, drove in from the Rumuodumaya area, near Port Harcourt where they launched the offensive which claimed the officer’s life.

She, however, said the operatives rose to the occasion and returned fire and neutralised one of the miscreants who wore masks, but that other gang members escaped by the whisker.

Iringe-Koko has yet to issue a statement and give further details on the killing of Inspector Sunday Baba as of the time of filing this report.