The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery in Uyo, Elijah Edet and one Nsikak Effiong for exhuming a freshly buried corpse and stealing the casket.
The spokesperson for the command, Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, August 6, 2026.
According to the PPRO, the incident was uncovered on August 3 after a vigilant resident spotted two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle at night.
In an attempt to evade arrest, one of the suspects, identified as Effiong Asuquo, fled the scene, while his accomplice, Nsikak Effiong, was apprehended and immediately handed over to the police.
Effiong confessed that he and an accomplice, Asuquo, dug up the grave, removed the corpse, and stole the casket to sell it.
The stolen casket and motorcycle were recovered, while further investigations led to the arrest of cemetery manager Elijah Matthew Edet, who allegedly admitted to conspiring with the grave diggers.
“The incident came to light on 3rd August, 2026, at about 11:30 pm, following a distress call received from a vigilant member of the public who reported suspicious activities at the cemetery after observing two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle under the cover of darkness,” the statement read.
“Acting on the suspicion, the complainant confronted the suspects to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the movement of the casket at such an unusual hour.
“In an attempt to evade arrest, one of the suspects, identified as Effiong Asuquo, fled the scene, while his accomplice, Nsikak Effiong, was apprehended and immediately handed over to the police.
“During interrogation, Nsikak Effiong confessed that he and his accomplice had unlawfully exhumed a freshly buried corpse, removed the corpse from the casket, and stolen the casket with the intention of selling it for financial gain.
“The police recovered the empty casket as well as the unregistered motorcycle used in conveying the stolen property, while investigations were immediately expanded to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the crime and identify all persons connected to the act.
“Further investigation yielded another breakthrough on 5th August, 2026, at about 5:00 pm, with the arrest of one Elijah Matthew Edet, the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery.
“During interrogation, the suspect admitted to conspiring with the grave diggers in the commission of the offence and stated that it was his first involvement in such criminal activity.”
The PPRO said that the state Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, had condemned the incident as barbaric, sacrilegious and a gross violation of the dignity of dead.
The CP further directed that the investigation be comprehensive, intelligence-driven, and professionally conducted to ensure that every individual connected with the crime is identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The CP also commended the vigilance, courage and sense of civic responsibility demonstrated by the vigilante officer, whose prompt intervention and report were instrumental in foiling the suspects’ attempt to escape with the stolen casket.
The police boss urged residents to remain security conscious and continue to provide timely, credible information to the police.
