Idara Jerome, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery in Uyo and another suspect for allegedly exhuming a freshly buried corpse and stealing its casket.
The Command described the incident as a disturbing violation of human dignity and vowed to ensure that all those involved are brought to justice.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday. She said the case came to light after a vigilant resident spotted two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle at about 11:30 p.m. on August 3, 2026.
Suspicious of their movement, the resident confronted the men. While one of the suspects, identified as Effiong Asuquo, fled the scene, the other, Nsikak Effiong, was apprehended and handed over to the police.
According to the police, Nsikak confessed during interrogation that he and the fleeing suspect exhumed a freshly buried corpse, removed the body from the casket and intended to sell the casket.
The stolen casket and the motorcycle allegedly used in the operation were recovered, while further investigation led to the arrest of the cemetery manager, Elijah Matthew Edet, on August 5.
The Command said Edet admitted conspiring with the grave diggers to commit the offence, although he claimed it was his first involvement in such an act.
Condemning the incident, the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, described the desecration of the grave as “barbaric, sacrilegious, morally reprehensible and a gross violation of the dignity of the dead.”
He directed investigators to ensure everyone connected with the crime is identified and prosecuted, assuring residents that the Command would not tolerate acts that undermine public confidence in the rule of law.
The Commissioner of Police also commended the resident whose vigilance led to the arrest of one suspect and the recovery of the stolen casket, urging members of the public to continue providing useful information to security agencies.
The Command added that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect, while investigations continue.