A suspected thief was lynched and burnt beyond recognition on the morning of February 10, 2026, in a shocking incident along Mayne Avenue by Nyong Edem Street, at the boundary between Atakpa and Efut Divisions in Calabar South. The deceased, believed to be about 22 years old, was reportedly involved in an attempted vandalism operation targeting an electric transformer.
According to ASP Sunday Eitokpah, Public Relations Officer of the Cross River State Police Command, the early morning surveillance patrol of Atakpa Division received information from an undisclosed informant about the unidentified male corpse. Investigations revealed that the victim allegedly went on the operation with two others, but ran into trouble when he was apprehended by a mob.
“The deceased reportedly ran out of luck, was lynched, burnt, and transported to the location along Mayne Avenue,” ASP Eitokpah stated. He added that there were no signs of struggle, weapons, or pre-burnt materials at the scene.
The police have taken photographs, evacuated the body, and launched an investigation to apprehend those responsible. Efforts are ongoing to track and arrest the perpetrators behind the lynching.
The Cross River State Police Command has urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands and to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
Kingsley Agim
