By Asuquo Cletus
The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old man, Desire Deseye, for allegedly assaulting and unlawfully detaining his girlfriend in Calabar.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Eitokpah Sunday Akata, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday noting that the victim, identified simply as Livina, 25, was rescued by operatives following a distress report.
According to the statement, the incident was reported on April 12, 2026, at about 3:00 p.m., by one Mercy, who alleged that her sister had left home the previous day to visit her boyfriend but failed to return.
The complainant further revealed that at about 10:35 p.m. on the same day, she received a photograph of the victim showing visible bruises, alongside a distress message indicating that the suspect had assaulted her, seized her phone, and locked her inside his room against her will.
“Upon receipt of the report, police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene, where the victim was rescued and the suspect arrested,” the statement read.
The police said the victim had since been taken to a medical facility for treatment, while the suspect remains in custody.
Akata added that investigations were ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The command reiterated its commitment to tackling criminal activities and urged residents to promptly report suspicious incidents to the nearest police formation or through its emergency lines.
