By EHIGIMETOR IGBAUGBA

The Cross River Police Command has commenced investigation into an alleged threat by a police officer attached to the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) against Mr James Anam, Chairman, Calabar Municipality Local Government Council.

ASP Sunday Eitokpah, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officer was allegedly heard in the viral video threatening Anam that “armed robbers would soon visit him” during an altercation with VCRU operatives in Calabar.

Eitokpah said the video, which had been circulating on social media, purportedly captured an altercation between the council chairman and VCRU operatives at an undisclosed stop-and-search point within the Calabar metropolis.

According to him, the incident occurred about three weeks ago during a stop-and-search operation.

He said preliminary information available to the Command indicated that the circumstances surrounding the encounter had not been fully established.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Ordue, has directed a discreet and impartial investigation to establish the facts, circumstances, and conduct of all persons involved,” he said.

The police spokesman said the command had commenced the process of inviting Anam and the concerned VCRU operatives to provide their respective accounts of the incident.

He said the officer was purportedly heard in the video making the statement that armed robbers would soon visit the chairman.

“However, the command has not established the circumstances or intent behind the statement,” Eitokpah said.

He assured the public that the investigation would be conducted professionally and objectively, with due regard to the rights of all parties.

He added that any allegation of misconduct established in the course of the investigation would be dealt with in accordance with extant laws and police regulations.

The command urged members of the public to refrain from drawing conclusions based solely on the circulating video, noting that the footage might not capture the full circumstances surrounding the encounter.

It appealed to members of the public to allow the investigation to run its course. (NAN)