The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 60 suspects in connection with the alleged assault of a police officer around Watt Market in Calabar, the state capital.

The arrests followed a viral video circulating on social media, which purportedly showed market women holding a police officer after a chase involving a suspected internet fraudster.

The video was accompanied by claims that the incident occurred after a police officer chased the suspected fraudster and allegedly scattered a trader’s goods at the market.

However, the Cross River State Police Command said the narrative accompanying the video was misleading and did not accurately reflect the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Eitokpah Sunday Akata, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the incident occurred on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at about 3:30pm, after a concerned member of the public alerted the police that an officer was being attacked around Goldie by Etim Edem Lane in Calabar.

The command said a patrol team from Atakpa Police Division was immediately mobilised to the area.

The team reportedly rescued the officer and took him to the police station, where his account of the incident was obtained.

The police said the officer explained that he was proceeding from his office through Goldie by Bedwell Junction to meet members of his team when he attempted to impound a motorcycle.

According to the officer, the motorcycle rider was the same person who had allegedly stepped on his leg while he was carrying out his duties on September 11.

The officer reportedly told investigators that when he attempted to apprehend the rider, some roadside traders allegedly confronted and assaulted him while aiding the rider to evade arrest.

“When I subsequently attempted to apprehend the rider, I was confronted and assaulted by some roadside traders who allegedly aided the rider,” the statement quoted the officer as saying.

The command said the circumstances surrounding the incident were different from the claims being circulated online, urging members of the public to avoid relying on unverified narratives accompanying social media videos.

Following the incident, police operatives commenced investigations and arrested 60 suspects believed to be connected to the alleged assault.

The command said the investigation would establish the identities and individual roles of those involved in the incident.

The police have also continued efforts to clarify what transpired at the market and determine the circumstances that led to the confrontation between the officer, the motorcycle rider and traders in the area.

The command urged residents to cooperate with law enforcement authorities and refrain from actions capable of obstructing police operations or attacking officers while carrying out their lawful duties.

It also cautioned members of the public against drawing conclusions from videos circulated on social media without establishing the full circumstances surrounding such incidents.

The development comes amid renewed concerns over confrontations between security personnel and members of the public during enforcement operations.

The police command said further developments from the investigation would be communicated as appropriately.

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old man, Sani Dikko, for allegedly conspiring with two others to kidnap his grandfather and collect N3 million ransom before his release.

Dikko was arrested alongside two other suspects, Kabir Sani and Salisu Bello, both aged 22, during an operation by operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit in Marabar Shema Village, Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Fage.

According to the statement, the suspects were apprehended on September 12, 2026, at about 8:23pm while the operatives were conducting a confidence-building patrol in the area.

The police said the operation followed credible intelligence received by the command, which enabled the officers to identify and apprehend the suspected three-man kidnapping syndicate.

The statement partly read, “On 12th September 2026, at about 8:23 pm, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), while on a confidence-building patrol along Marabar Shema Village, acted on credible intelligence and successfully busted a three-man kidnap syndicate.”

The suspects were identified as Sani Dikko, described by the police as an informant, Kabir Sani and Salisu Bello.

During preliminary investigations, the police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in the kidnapping.

According to the command, Dikko specifically confessed to conspiring with the other suspects to abduct his grandfather, identified as Alhaji Lawal, about three weeks earlier.

The victim reportedly spent 16 days in captivity before his release following the payment of N3 million ransom.

The police said the three suspects remained in custody as investigations continued to determine the extent of their activities and uncover any wider criminal network linked to the alleged kidnapping.

Police rescue two kidnapped women
In a separate operation, the Katsina State Police Command also rescued two women who were abducted by bandits during an attack on Sha’iskawa Fulani Village in Kankia Local Government Area.

The victims were identified as 45-year-old Assubi Rabe and 27-year-old Rabi Isyaku.
The two women were reportedly abducted at about 12:45am on September 14, 2026, when about eight armed bandits attacked the community.

The police said the Kankia Divisional Police Officer mobilised operatives to the area after receiving a distress call about the attack.

Upon arrival, the operatives engaged the attackers in a gun duel, forcing the bandits to retreat into the surrounding bush.

The police said the superior firepower of the security team enabled the operatives to rescue both victims unhurt.

“Due to the superior firepower of the police team, the bandits fled into the surrounding bush, allowing operatives to successfully rescue both kidnapped victims unhurt,” the statement said.

The Commissioner of Police commended the officers involved in the operations for what he described as their gallantry and professionalism.

CP Fage also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining operations aimed at tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across Katsina State.

He urged residents to continue providing the police with timely and credible information that could assist security agencies in identifying criminal elements and responding swiftly to security threats.

The latest operations come amid continued security challenges involving kidnapping and banditry in parts of Katsina State, with the police maintaining that community cooperation remains essential to combating criminal activities.

Veteran Nigerian actor and elder statesman of the country’s entertainment industry, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.

His death was announced by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, in a post on Instagram on Wednesday.

Jacobs was one of Nigeria’s most respected actors and a towering figure in the country’s theatre, television and film industries.

For more than five decades, he built a remarkable career that took him from the theatre stages of Britain to international film productions and, eventually, to becoming one of the most recognisable faces of Nollywood.

Early life
Olu Jacobs was born on July 11, 1942, in Kano, although his family had roots in the Egba Alake community of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He grew up in Kano, where his interest in acting developed through school drama, debating activities and church programmes.

His passion for the performing arts was strengthened after he watched a performance by legendary Nigerian theatre practitioner Hubert Ogunde.

The experience inspired Jacobs to pursue acting professionally and laid the foundation for a career that would span several decades.

Training and career in Britain
Jacobs later travelled to the United Kingdom, where he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.

His training at the prestigious institution provided him with a strong foundation in theatre and professional acting.

After completing his training, he worked with several repertoire theatres in Britain and appeared in a number of British television productions.

During the 1970s, Jacobs featured in television programmes including The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, The Professionals, The Tomorrow People and Barlow at Large.

He also secured roles in international films. His film credits included The Dogs of War in 1980, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend in 1985 and Roman Polanski’s Pirates in 1986.

A career spanning generations
After establishing himself in Britain, Jacobs returned to Nigeria and became a major figure in the country’s growing entertainment industry.

His career covered theatre, television and film, with the actor appearing in hundreds of productions over the years.

In Nollywood, he became particularly associated with roles portraying kings, chiefs, traditional rulers, patriarchs and other authoritative characters.

His deep voice, commanding presence and extensive theatrical training made him one of the most recognisable veteran actors in Nigeria and across Africa.

Jacobs belonged to the generation of performers whose work helped establish the Nigerian film industry and contributed to the development of Nollywood as a major centre of African cinema.

Awards and recognition
Throughout his career, Jacobs received several major honours for his contribution to acting and the Nigerian entertainment industry.

In 2007, he won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

He was also honoured with the Industry Merit Award for outstanding achievement in acting at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
In 2016, he received the MAA Lifetime Achievement Award.

His contribution to the Nigerian arts was also recognised by the Federal Government. In 2011, he was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).

Marriage to Joke Silva
Olu Jacobs was married to fellow veteran actress Joke Silva, with whom he shared both a personal and professional partnership.

Their marriage became one of the most prominent unions in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

Together, they founded the Lufodo Group, which has interests in film production, distribution and performing arts education.

The couple also established the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to the training and development of emerging performers.

Their partnership extended beyond their individual acting careers, with both playing roles in the growth and professionalisation of Nigeria’s performing arts sector.

His later years
Jacobs spent much of his later years away from the public spotlight as health challenges affected his appearances.

Joke Silva had previously disclosed that her husband was living with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative condition that affected his health.

His health also became the subject of repeated false reports about his death.

In June 2024, Silva dismissed reports that Jacobs had died, stating that he was alive and doing well. His family had similarly rejected earlier death rumours.

Jacobs subsequently remained largely out of public view, while colleagues, fans and admirers continued to celebrate his contribution to Nigerian theatre and cinema.

A lasting legacy
Olu Jacobs leaves behind a legacy that extends beyond the many characters he portrayed on stage and screen.

His career connected Nigeria’s traditional theatre heritage with modern film and television, while his training and professional experience in Britain added an international dimension to his work.

Through acting, production and arts education, he influenced generations of Nigerian performers.

Together with contemporaries such as Pete Edochie, Jacobs became associated with a generation of veteran actors who helped shape Nollywood and establish its distinctive identity.

For decades, audiences admired him for his portrayal of authority, wisdom and dignity.

His performances, awards, mentorship and contribution to the performing arts have secured his place in the history of Nigerian entertainment.

Olu Jacobs’ death marks the end of an era for a generation of Nigerian performers whose careers helped transform the country’s entertainment industry into an internationally recognised creative sector.

He is survived by his wife, Joke Silva, his family, colleagues and generations of actors and filmmakers who were influenced by his work.

His name and body of work are expected to remain an enduring part of Nigeria’s theatre, television and film history.