By Kelvin Ololo
The Cross River State Police Command has opened an investigation into a viral video showing an exchange of words between the Chairman of Calabar Municipality Local Government Council, Apostle (Rt. Hon.) James Anam, and operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) at a stop-and-search point in Calabar.
The video, circulating widely on social media, shows the council chairman and the police operatives engaging in what appears to be a tense and unprofessional verbal exchange during the encounter.
In the altercation, one of the police officers threatened the local government chairman that “armed robbers will visit you” and ” I have paid my dues in this Cross River State”.
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Responding to the video, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said the Command was aware of the footage and had commenced an investigation to establish what transpired.
According to the statement issued on Friday, September 18, 2026, the Command said preliminary finding indicates that the incident occurred about three weeks ago during a stop-and-search operation at an undisclosed location within the Calabar metropolis.
However, the police said the circumstances surrounding the encounter had not been fully established, cautioning against drawing conclusions solely from the circulating footage.
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The Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has consequently directed a discreet and impartial investigation into the incident, with the aim of establishing the facts, circumstances and conduct of all persons involved.
The Command said it had commenced the process of inviting both Apostle Anam and the concerned VCRU operatives to provide their respective accounts of the encounter.
The investigation comes against the backdrop of growing public attention to the video, particularly the conduct of both the council chairman and the police personnel during the exchange.
While the footage has generated reactions on social media, the police maintained that the video may not contain the events leading to the confrontation or the circumstances immediately after it.
The Command therefore urged members of the public to allow the investigation to run its course rather than reaching conclusions based solely on the footage.
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It further assured that the investigation would be conducted professionally and objectively, with due regard for the rights of all parties involved.
The police said any allegation of misconduct established against any of the persons involved would be dealt with in accordance with extant laws and police regulations.
The development places the focus not only on what triggered the confrontation at the checkpoint, but also on the conduct expected of public officials and security personnel during interactions with members of the public.
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