By Kelvin Ololo
Four of the 60 persons arrested and screened following the alleged assault of a police officer at Watt Market, Calabar, are to be arraigned in court on Friday, September 18, 2026, the Cross River State Police Command has said.
The four suspects identified by the Command are Emem Asuquo, 40; Aniema Nelson, 40; Idara Bassey Sunday, 28; and Mercy Edet, 44.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, disclosed this in an update issued on Thursday, September 17, and made available to the CrossRiverWatch newsroom.
The development follows the arrest and screening of 60 suspects in connection with the incident at Watt Market, after the Command said an officer was allegedly seriously assaulted during a confrontation involving roadside traders and a motorcycle rider.
The police said preliminary investigation and a review of available evidence led to the identification of the four suspects who are now scheduled to face court trial over the alleged assault.
READ: Watt Market Police -Traders Clash: 60 Arrested Over Assault
The Command said the wider arrest and screening exercise was carried out to establish the individual involvement of persons allegedly connected to the incident and determine who should be processed in accordance with the law.
The latest development effectively separates those identified for prosecution from the larger group initially arrested for screening, although the police said efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident remain ongoing.
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The Command said the four suspects would be arraigned on allegations of assault on a police officer.
However, the allegations remain subject to judicial determination, with the police stressing that the suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The incident had attracted public attention after video footage of the confrontation circulated on social media, generating different accounts of what transpired at the market.
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Earlier reports from the police said the officer alleged that his uniform and shoes were torn, his mobile phone taken and his riot gun tampered with during the confrontation.
In the latest statement, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, said the Command would uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of all persons while ensuring that allegations of assault against police personnel or any other person are subjected to due process.
The Command urged members of the public to remain calm and allow the judicial process to take its course as the case proceeds.
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