By Kelvin Ololo
A suspected armed robber has died following a mob attack in Calabar, Cross River State, after police intervened in an alleged attempted robbery in the early hours of Sunday 25 January 2026.
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The incident occurred at Mbora Street in the Abangasang area of the state capital, where angry mobs reportedly attacked a man accused of attempting to rob a woman. The suspect was beaten unconscious before operatives of the Cross River State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrived at the scene.
Police said a Beretta pistol loaded with three live 9mm rounds of ammunition was recovered during the intervention. The injured suspect was rushed to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) for medical attention but was pronounced dead in the early hours of the morning. His identity is yet to be established.
Three individuals linked to the mob action have been arrested and are currently in police custody, assisting with ongoing investigations. The body of the deceased has been deposited at the UCTH mortuary pending an autopsy.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Cross River State Command, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged robbery attempt and the subsequent mob action.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Rashid B. Afegbua, meanwhile, has condemned the mob justice, warning that taking the law into one’s hands often leads to avoidable loss of life and undermines due process.
He urged residents to hand over suspects to security agencies for proper investigation and prosecution.
Police authorities also appealed to the public to provide timely information to law enforcement and to refrain from resorting to violence, as investigations into the incident continue.
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