Police Arrest 60 Suspects Over Assault on Officer in Calabar
By Benjamin GBOR
The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 60 suspects in connection with the alleged assault of a police officer around Watt Market, Calabar.
The arrests followed a viral video circulating on social media, which alleged that market women at the market held a police officer after a chase involving a suspected internet fraudster, during which a trader’s goods were reportedly scattered.
However, the Command, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said the narrative accompanying the video was misleading and did not accurately reflect what happened.
According to the statement, a member of the public alerted the police at about 3:30pm on Tuesday that a police officer was being attacked around Goldie by Etim Edem Lane, Calabar. Patrol officers from Atakpa Police Division were subsequently mobilised and rescued the officer.
The officer told the police that he was attempting to impound a motorcycle whose rider had allegedly stepped on his leg while he was on duty on September 11, 2026, and escaped.
He alleged that when he later attempted to apprehend the rider, some roadside traders confronted and assaulted him, allegedly aiding the rider to escape.
The officer further alleged that his riot gun was tampered with, his uniform and shoes were torn, and his Samsung X10 mobile phone was taken. He also claimed that pepper and egg were poured on his face and body, while the motorcycle was forcibly taken from him.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, directed the police to identify those involved and arrest anyone found culpable.
The Command said patrol and surveillance teams from Atakpa Police Division, reinforced by operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit, arrested 60 suspects in the area at about 10:45am on Wednesday.
It said the suspects were undergoing interrogation, while efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest other persons allegedly involved in the incident.
The police said normalcy had been restored at Watt Market, adding that security monitoring was continuing in the area.
The Command urged members of the public to rely on verified information and avoid drawing conclusions from incomplete or misleading narratives circulating online.
