The Cross River State Police Command has commenced investigation into the lynching of a suspected thief whose burnt body was discovered along Mayne Avenue in Calabar South.
The Commandās Public Relations Officer, SP Eitiokpa Sunday Akata, disclosed that the incident was reported to officers of Atakpa Division on February 10, during an early morning surveillance patrol.
According to him, information from an undisclosed source alerted the patrol team to the presence of an unidentified male corpse, believed to be the remains of a 22-year-old, lying along Mayne Avenue by Nyong Edem Street ā at the boundary between Atakpa and Efut Divisions.
Preliminary findings suggest that the deceased allegedly went out with two others to vandalise an electricity transformer at a yet-to-be-identified location.
Police said the suspect reportedly ran out of luck, was apprehended by a mob, lynched, set ablaze and later transported to the spot where his remains were found.
Akata noted that there were no signs of struggle, weapons, or burnt materials at the location where the body was dumped, indicating that the incident may have occurred elsewhere.
He added that photographs of the scene were taken, the corpse evacuated, and a full-scale investigation has commenced.
The Command assured that efforts were underway to identify and arrest those responsible for the mob action.
Police investigate lynching of suspected thief in Calabar
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