By Patrick Obia
Cross River State Police Command has foiled an attempt by suspected armed robbers to sneak out a snatched Toyota Camry vehicle from Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.
According to Police narration, On the 5th of October, 2025, at about 10:30PM a Toyota Camry, grey colour with registration number YAD 549 ER, belonging to Mr. Ikyum Mark at Etta Agbor layout, hall 2 by University of Calabar was forcefully snatched from him at gun point.
Upon occurrence of the incident, the victim proceeded to the Anti- Cultism Base where he reported the incident . The incident was circulated on radio messages to the Control Room and other patrol teams at night.
The police said luck ran out of robbers when they were sighted by a tactical unit attached to Operation Sting stationed at PAMOL checkpoint along Calabar/Odukpani highway who sighted the said robbed vehicle approaching their location, when flagged down, the suspects made a sharp U-turn in a bid to escape, prompting a hot pursuit by the team. This forced the hoodlums to abandon the robbed vehicle and fled into the nearby bush under the cover of the night.
The vehicle was immediately recovered by the team and secured at the state CID for investigation. Search is on for the fleeing suspects, the Police Spokesman, SP Irene Ugbo said in a press release on Monday, October 6, 2025.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP. Rashid B. Afegbua, while commending the effort of his men, noted that prompt report of incidents disrupts criminal activities and increases police response capacity in carrying out their duties.
He encouraged residents of the state to continue volunteering information to the police for a collective safe and secured Cross River.
