Cross River State Police Command. Credit: ASP Eitokpah Akata
The Cross River State Police Command has dismissed social media reports suggesting the presence of an unidentified group camping along Mary Slessor Avenue in Calabar, describing those spotted as mostly street children and vulnerable youths.
In a statement issued by Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Akata, on Friday, the command said a patrol team was immediately deployed to the area opposite the Calabar Zoo following circulating reports.
The statement reads, “Findings from the investigation revealed that the individuals in question are not an unidentified group as suggested. Rather, they are predominantly street children and vulnerable youths, most of whom are indigenes of Cross River State, with a few from neighbouring states, who have left their homes due to factors including lack of parental care, neglect, and other social challenges,” it added.
Representatives of Street Aid Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation working with vulnerable children, were present during the police visit and confirmed ongoing efforts to sensitise and reunite the children with their families.
