CALABAR — A wave of public indignation has erupted following reports of police brutality and illegal proxy arrest involving officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Okuku, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Footage circulating online shows police officers physically dragging, flogging, and assaulting an innocent young man during an operation.
According to community accounts, the police team arrived at the location to execute an arrest based on intelligence but failed to locate their target. Rather than aborting or re-strategizing the operation, the officers seized a bystander in place of the suspect—a practice strictly outlawed under Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Eyewitnesses reported that officers fired tear gas indiscriminately within a peaceful residential community during the raid, causing severe shock and distress among elderly residents and onlookers.
The operation, allegedly carried out under the guise of cracking down on cybercrime suspects, has drawn sharp criticism regarding jurisdiction and professional standards. Reports indicate that following the illegal detention, police officers demanded a bail sum of ₦350,000 to release the young man.
Human rights advocates and community representatives have called on the Inspector General of Police and the Cross River State Police Command to investigate the incident, identify the officers involved, and ensure the immediate release of the victim alongside disciplinary actions.
