A policeman has been caught on video threatening the Chairman of Calabar Municipality Local Government Council, James Anam, that armed robbers would visit him following a heated altercation at a checkpoint.
In the viral footage circulating on social media, the council chairman and personnel of the Cross River State Police Command were seen engaging in a heated exchange during a stop-and-search operation in Calabar.
During the altercation, one of the police officers was heard threatening the local government chairman, saying, “Armed robbers will visit you,” adding, “I have paid my dues in this Cross River State.”
The video has generated widespread outrage among residents, with many questioning the conduct of the officers and the safety implications of such threats from law enforcement agents.
Commenting on the incident, the Cross River State Police Command disclosed on Friday that it had commenced investigation into the encounter.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, said in a statement made available to journalists in Calabar on Friday that the command was aware of the video and had commenced an inquiry to establish what transpired.
According to the police, preliminary findings indicate that the incident occurred about three weeks ago during a stop-and-search operation by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit at an undisclosed location within the Calabar metropolis.
“The Cross River State Police Command is aware of a video currently circulating on social media concerning an alleged altercation involving operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit and the Chairman of Calabar Municipality Local Government Council, Apostle James Koko Anam, at an undisclosed stop-and-search point within the Calabar metropolis.
“Preliminary information available to the command indicates that the incident occurred approximately three weeks ago during a stop-and-search operation. The command, however, emphasises that the circumstances surrounding the incident have not been fully established,” he said.
The police urged members of the public to refrain from drawing conclusions solely from the circulating footage, noting that the video might not have captured events leading to the confrontation or what transpired immediately after.
The spokesperson stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ajo Ordue, had ordered a discreet and impartial investigation into the incident to establish the facts and assess the conduct of all persons involved.
Eitokpah disclosed that the command had commenced the process of inviting both the council chairman and the concerned police personnel to give their respective accounts of the encounter.
The police assured the public that the investigation would be conducted professionally and objectively, adding that any established misconduct would be sanctioned in accordance with extant laws and police regulations.