The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 60 suspects over the alleged assault of a police constable at Watt Market in Calabar.
The arrests followed an incident on Tuesday involving the officer and roadside traders around Goldie by Etim Edem Lane, after a confrontation reportedly broke out during an attempt to apprehend a motorcycle rider.
The state police spokesperson, Sunday Eitokpah, said the command acted after a video of the incident circulated online, with claims that market women had held a police officer following a chase involving a suspected internet fraudster.
Eitokpah said the narrative accompanying the video was misleading and did not accurately represent the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In the footage, the officer is seen surrounded by several traders and other people. A woman appears to grab him by the neck of his uniform, while another person appears to punch him from behind.
The officer is also seen arguing with those around him, while another man appears to attempt to disarm him. Several people are seen watching and recording the confrontation on their phones.
However, the soundless footage does not establish what triggered the confrontation or the events leading up to it.
According to the police, a member of the public alerted officers at about 3:30 p.m. on September 15 that a police officer was being attacked around Goldie by Etim Edem Lane.
A patrol team from Atakpa Police Division was subsequently mobilized and rescued the officer, who was taken to the police station.
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The officer told investigators that he was travelling from his office through Goldie by Bedwell Junction to join members of his team when he attempted to impound a motorcycle.
He alleged that the rider had earlier, on September 11, accidentally stepped on his leg while he was on duty before fleeing the scene.
The officer said he later attempted to apprehend the rider but was confronted by some roadside traders who allegedly aided the rider’s escape and assaulted him.
According to the police, the officer further alleged that his riot gun was tampered with, while his uniform and shoes were torn and his Samsung X10 mobile phone was taken.
He also alleged that pepper and egg were poured on his face and body, while the motorcycle was forcibly taken from him, allowing the rider to escape.
Following the report, the Commissioner of Police, Ajo Ordue, directed the command to gather intelligence, identify those involved and arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable.
Eitokpah said patrol and surveillance teams from Atakpa Police Division, reinforced by operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit, arrested 60 suspects in the area. He said the suspects were undergoing screening and interrogation.
The command added that efforts were ongoing to identify and apprehend other people who may have participated in the incident.
The police thanked the member of the public whose alert enabled officers to respond and rescue the constable. He urged members of the public to rely on verified information and avoid drawing conclusions from what he described as “incomplete or misleading narratives” circulating online.
He said normalcy had been restored at Watt Market, while security monitoring continued. The command reiterated that attacks on police officers or other members of the public would not be tolerated and said further developments would be communicated.
