Police Look into Threat by Officer Against Local Council Chairman

The Police Command in Cross River State has started an investigation into a police officer's threat against James Anam, the chairman of Calabar Municipality Local Government Council.

Sunday Eitokpah, the police spokesperson, shared this news in a statement on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officer was caught on a viral video threatening Mr Anam that "armed robbers would soon visit him" during a disagreement with VCRU operatives in Calabar.

Mr Eitokpah, an assistant superintendent of police, said the video, which has been spreading on social media, showed a clash between the council chairman and VCRU operatives at a stop-and-search point in Calabar.

He mentioned that the incident happened about three weeks ago during a stop-and-search operation.

Preliminary information suggests that the full details of the encounter are still unclear.

"The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Ordue, has ordered a thorough and fair investigation to find out the facts, circumstances, and actions of everyone involved," he stated.

The police spokesperson said the command is now inviting Mr Anam and the involved VCRU operatives to share their sides of the story.

He noted that the officer was heard in the video making the threat about armed robbers visiting the chairman.

"But the command has not confirmed the circumstances or intent behind this statement," Mr Eitokpah added.

He assured the public that the investigation would be carried out professionally and fairly, respecting the rights of all parties involved.

He also mentioned that any proven misconduct found during the investigation would be handled according to police laws and regulations.

The command urged the public not to jump to conclusions based only on the video, as it may not show the complete situation of the incident.

It called on everyone to let the investigation proceed without interference.