The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested two suspects for allegedly exhuming a freshly buried corpse from a cemetery and stealing its casket.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said one of the suspects, Elijah Matthew Edet, the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery in Uyo, confessed to conniving with grave diggers to steal the casket, describing it as his first involvement in such a crime.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Uyo, John said Edet and two others unlawfully exhumed a freshly buried corpse at night, removed the body from the casket and stole the casket with the intention of reselling it.
She explained that an eyewitness who noticed the suspicious activity alerted the police after observing two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle late at night.
According to her, the empty casket and the unregistered motorcycle have been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to arrest another suspect who fled the scene.
‘On August 3, 2026, at about 11:30pm, the command received a distress call 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.
‘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 stole the casket with the intention of selling it for financial gain.
‘Further investigation yielded another major breakthrough on August 5, 2026, at about 5pm, with the arrest of Elijah Matthew Edet, the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery,’ the statement read.