I had no plan to shoot my teacher - Cross River schoolgirl

The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande, on Friday, paraded a 17-year old girl arrested for being in possession of a pistol.

Promise Idorenyin, an SS2 student of Community Secondary School, Ikot Ewa, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state was paraded alongside her 38-year old lover, Okon Effiom Edet, who owns the locally-made double barrel pistol.

The Commissioner dismissed initial reports that the girl took the gun to school to shoot her teacher.

CP Akande said the double-barrel gun was discovered in her school bag by the Principal of the school.

“The suspect admitted that the said firearm was given to her by her boyfriend of Abasi Effiom Village in Akpabuyo LGA,” the Commissioner said.

The girl said her boyfriend asked her to take the gun to the blacksmith for repairs but she took it to school to show her friends.

When asked how long she had known the boyfriend, she said, “It was August last year. He supports me with some school things but my parents said he should not pay my school fees.”

She said her parents knew Edet because he usually came to her room.

When Promise was asked why she took the gun to school, she said “nothing.”

Asked whether it was true she wanted to take it to the blacksmith to fix it, she said, “Yes, that is what he (boyfriend) told me. I don’t have any problem with my teachers.”

She denied telling her classmates that she took the gun to school to shoot the Vice Principal.

She said she sprayed her hair in December and when the Vice Principal asked her to paint it black, she said she did.

“It was coloured, I painted it black”, she said.

Promise said she belonged to the Sky Queen, a local cult group but she denied knowing the number of members in her school.

Her lover, Okon Effiong, a father of six children from two women, admitted that they were indeed lovers. He said the girl’s parents were already aware of their relationship.

Commenting on the development, the Chairman of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, Emmanuel Offiong Bassey, warned parents and guardians to be “very watchful and pay attention to activities of their children and wards as well as be aware of the company they keep.”

Police Commissioner Sikiru Kayode Akande who paraded a total of 13 suspects before newsmen pledged the commitment and determination of the police to combat crime in the state.