By Hyacinth Nwafor
Calm shattered the early hours of Tuesday in Calabar South as security operatives uncovered the body of a young man believed to have been a suspected thief, raising fresh concerns over the growing menace of mob justice.
According to the press release by
ASP Sunday Eitokpah Akata, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Cross River State Police Command, the incident was recorded on February 10, 2026, at about 7:00 a.m., during an early morning surveillance patrol by officers attached to the Atakpa Police Division.
Acting on intelligence from an undisclosed informant, the patrol team was led to Mayne Avenue, off Nyong Edem Street, a boundary area between the Marine and Efut Police Divisions.
At the location, officers found the remains of an unidentified male, estimated to be about 22 years old, believed to have been killed by a mob under circumstances still being investigated.
Preliminary information suggests that the deceased allegedly took part in an attempted vandalisation of an electricity transformer with two other persons at an undisclosed location.
According to sources, the suspect was allegedly apprehended by members of the public after his accomplices escaped, following which he was subjected to mob action.
The body was reportedly moved from the initial scene and later abandoned at the boundary axis where it was discovered by the police patrol.
A police assessment of the area where the body was found revealed no weapons, signs of struggle, or materials linking the scene to the killing.
Necessary photographs were taken, and the body was evacuated for further examination as part of ongoing investigations.
The police have condemned the act, reiterating that jungle justice is unlawful, while assuring the public that efforts are underway to identify and arrest those responsible for the killing.