Police foil mob action in Calabar, recover gun, arrest 3 suspects

The Cross River State Police Command has foiled an attempted mob action against a suspected armed robber in Calabar, recovering a firearm and arresting three suspects during the operation.

The intervention was carried out by operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit in the early hours of Sunday following reports of a robbery attempt in the Abangasang area of Mbora Street.

According to police sources, the suspect had allegedly tried to rob a woman when residents quickly raised the alarm, attracting a crowd that attempted to take the law into their own hands.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, the command said the suspect was beaten unconscious by an angry mob and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The statement read, “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.”