Elderly woman dies suddenly on bus in Calabar

An elderly woman named Mrs Affiong Peters slumped and died while on a commercial bus in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, on Saturday night.

The reason for her death is not clear yet. Some passengers think she might have been stressed or had a health issue.

The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday by their spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah.

According to the statement, the incident happened around 11:30 p.m. The driver of the commercial minibus, Mr John Okon John, reported to Atakpa Police Station that one of his passengers was unresponsive.

The police spokesperson explained that the driver had picked up eight passengers from Watt Market Roundabout in Calabar. He was heading to the Edgerly, Mbukpa, Afukam area when the incident occurred along Edgerly Road, near William George, in Calabar South Local Government Area.

He said, "The Cross River State Police Command confirms the unfortunate death of a female passenger, Mrs Affiong Peters, following a medical emergency that occurred on the night of Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Calabar.

"While trying to let the passenger get off, Mrs Affiong Peters stepped out of the vehicle. She suddenly sat on the ground, became unresponsive, and could not speak.

"Other passengers quickly helped to get her back into the vehicle. She was taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) for emergency treatment. Sadly, medical staff later confirmed she was dead."

Eitokpah mentioned that the deceased’s family has been located and informed about what happened.

"The family of the deceased has been identified and informed. They are making arrangements for the preservation of her body," he added.