The Cross River State Police Command on Sunday, arrested three individuals following an incident in Calabar, the state capital, where a suspected armed robber was beaten by a mob, leading to his death, while a firearm and ammunition were recovered.
The incident occurred in the early hours of the same day in the Abangasang area of Mbora Street, where the suspect was alleged to have attempted to rob a woman before residents intervened.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit swiftly responded to the scene after receiving a distress report.
“The Cross River State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in the early hours of Sunday, 25th January 2026, successfully intervened to prevent a mob action against a suspected armed robber who was allegedly attempting to rob a lady in Calabar.
“The operation led to the recovery of a Beretta pistol with three live 9mm rounds of ammunition and the arrest of individuals involved in the mob attack.
“The suspect, who was beaten unconscious by an angry mob at Abangasang area, Mbora Street, Calabar, was rushed to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, for medical attention. Unfortunately, the victim, yet to be identified, was pronounced dead at the hospital in the early hours of this morning.”
According to the command, three suspects linked to the mob action are currently in custody and are cooperating with investigators as efforts continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The victim’s body has been evacuated and deposited at the UCTH mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident continues,” the statement added.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Cross River State, CP Rashid Afegbua, said the intervention reflected the command’s resolve to prevent crime, safeguard lives and uphold the rule of law.
He strongly condemned mob justice and appealed to residents to report suspected criminals to law enforcement agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands.
The incident comes against the backdrop of intensified police operations to curb armed robbery and vigilante-related violence in urban centres, with authorities repeatedly cautioning that extrajudicial actions undermine justice and often result in avoidable loss of life.
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