Police Arrest Cemetery Manager, One Other for Exhuming Corpse, Stealing Casket in Akwa Ibom.

Police Arrest Cemetery Manager, One Other for Exhuming Corpse, Stealing Casket in Akwa Ibom.

Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested two suspects, including the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery, for allegedly conspiring to exhume a freshly buried corpse and steal its casket for sale.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Timfon John, disclosed the development in a statement issued to journalists in Uyo on Thursday.

According to the police, the incident occurred on August 3, 2026, at about 11:30 p.m. in Nsit-Ibom Local Government Area, when a vigilante operative spotted two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle under the cover of darkness.

The vigilante reportedly raised the alarm and confronted the suspects. While one of them, identified as Effiong Asuquo, escaped from the scene, the second suspect, Nsikak Effiong, was apprehended and subsequently handed over to the police.

During interrogation, Nsikak Effiong allegedly confessed that he and his accomplice unlawfully dug up a freshly buried corpse, removed the body from the casket, and attempted to steal the casket with the intention of selling it for financial gain.

Police recovered the empty casket and the unregistered motorcycle used in the operation, while detectives immediately expanded investigations to uncover other individuals linked to the crime.

The statement further revealed that on August 5, 2026, at about 5:00 p.m., investigators arrested the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery, Elijah Matthew Edet, over his alleged involvement in the incident.

According to the police, Edet admitted during questioning that he conspired with the grave diggers to carry out the act, claiming it was his first time participating in such an offence. The police, however, said one additional suspect remains at large and is being actively tracked.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Azare, described the act as barbaric, sacrilegious, and a gross violation of the dignity of the dead.

He directed that the investigation be thorough, intelligence-driven, and professionally conducted to ensure that all those connected with the crime are identified, arrested, and brought to justice.

The commissioner also commended the vigilance and prompt response of the vigilante operative whose swift action prevented the suspects from escaping with the stolen casket.

He urged residents of the state to remain security-conscious and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to aid efforts in combating crime across Akwa Ibom State.