Calabar Mall Fire: Five arrested with stolen items, police say

Police in Cross River State have arrested five individuals found with stolen items at the SPAR shopping mall in Calabar, following a Saturday fire that destroyed properties. The suspects were identified as Victor Daniel, Gideon Asuquo, Okafor Michael, Ochi Joseph, and Veronica Ebi.

“

Five suspects have been arrested with stolen items within the premises in connection with inferno incidents in Spar shopping mall, Calabar.

Authorities are taking measures to prevent looting of victims' belongings. Police spokesman Sunday Eitokpah stated that no casualties were reported at the time of the arrests, and security personnel were deployed to protect the mall's contents. "For now, no casualties; we are trying our best to stop possible looters from looting items belonging to other people," Eitokpah said.

“

For now, no casualties; we are trying our best to stop possible looters from looting items belonging to other people.

The fire, which began in the early hours of Saturday, is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault. Videos from the scene depicted thick smoke and flames engulfing parts of the mall as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Spectators were seen carrying out goods as security cordoned off the area.

“

From the report reaching me, the incident started in the early hours of this morning with a lot of properties belonging to people at the Spar Mall catching fire. Possible cause of the fire points to an electrical fault.

A content creator, Dr Laff, shared on Facebook that properties worth millions of naira were damaged. "As I speak right now, millions of properties have been damaged," he said, expressing dismay over the destruction of a major shopping mall in Cross River State. The full extent of the financial losses remains unconfirmed.

“

As I speak right now, millions of properties have been damaged.