Social media has been buzzing with mixed reactions after market women in Calabar confronted a police officer whose pursuit of a fraud suspect resulted in destroyed goods and scattered produce.
Women surrounded him, refusing to let go until he addressed the mess, as bystanders recorded and pointed phones.
Online reactions mixed laughter at their boldness with surprise over confronting an armed officer, highlighting tensions between market vendors—who protect their livelihoods fiercely—and police in Nigeria’s informal economy.
A police officer chased a suspect straight into Watt Market, destroying a trader’s goods, so the market women grabbed him by the shirt and refused to let him go!
Is this the ultimate display of bravery, or did they cross the line? #OluJacobs #Police #RealMadrid #KuCoin pic.twitter.com/hrqJWQexC1
— NewsClick Nigeria Media (@NewsClickng) September 16, 2026
Hee are some of the reactions:
Kemmy (@dspkemo): A police officer pursued a suspected y*hoo boy into the market, and a market woman’s foodstuff got scattered on the floor. Market women no won hear story e hold police for shirt
Wellness wins (@Bro_Code_x): Got to yahoo boys and they can chase him, if they were told robbers are operating you see them running from their responsibility
Ed (@Ed_huddy): Knowing how ruthless Nigeria police is how are able to have the balls to grab an officer in uniform holding a gun eiii …. U people no Dey fear , he can just shoot and say he feared for his life which is true
Dà liù (@Mrsix_43743): There should be a better way for police officers to handle situations like this without destroying people’s livelihoods.
Red Eyes (@shopsellix): Now he can see he has been part of the people all along. Where are his leaders he is dying for?
Makeit Rain (@kalmebusybee): Brah just Dey explain. Person when you Dey pursue so. You think he get better means of livelihood he go result to doing fraud ? Okay now Even handjob. Na still this guys Dey patronize us pass else I for done craze for this country.
Loporry Daniel Samchris (@LoporryD): You can Harass a policeman in uniform. Locking up his shirt is a crime.
cye (@just1cye): Na wetin you no fit hold your tears for
JCO (@OCJ90s): He don buy serious market inside market
Oribhabor Mathias Edose (@OribhaborM): Kai….everyday I get more disappointed at the NPF. To the extent market women are now holding a police man and hitting his head. This is so pitable. They wont do NSCDC like this. NPF really needs a deep reform. I dey shame for some of them
Julio (@Jolayemiii): Police no respect civilians, civilians no respect police. Everybody just deh move mad, and we have a government, leaders. They don’t want to build, they don’t care about law & order, they just want to loot. Tbh this country needs a proper reset
Olakunle Sodeeq (@OParamole): I just hope when police come in numbers the woman would stand her ground. Na sorry be her case.
CChris (@unimkeh): Police wan use him side hustle spoil market woman main hustle. Na lie
The Chronicle’s (@Celestine_2): I want to ask a question, are they right to hold the police man to pay and if he can’t pay will the police force cover the loss?, if the police force is know for taking responsibility of there damages this will not happen in anyway, it’s so sad tho
Topaz king (@Topazking20): Omor make them pay that woman her money for those items
Goodnews Oghiloony (@ogloony): Either federal government pay, or the craze wey call himself policeman pay ooh
CHIME (@RealChime): This video is proof that all institutions are falling. It’s just a matter of time before the country explodes.
Werner solomon (@Werner_solomon): This is very wrong and it’s very humiliating to an officer of the law
Theo Smith (@TheoSmiz121555): Shame to Nigeria police