The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested two suspects, including a cemetery manager, over the alleged exhumation of a newly buried corpse and theft of its casket in Uyo.
The arrests followed a late-night incident on August 3, 2026, after a vigilant resident raised an alarm over two men allegedly moving a casket on an unregistered motorcycle under suspicious circumstances.
According to the police, the resident confronted the suspects, prompting one of them to flee while the other was apprehended and handed over to authorities.
During interrogation, the police said one of the suspects, identified as Nsikak Effiong, admitted that he and another accomplice allegedly removed a newly buried body from its casket before taking away the empty coffin for financial gain.
“During interrogation, Nsikak Effiong confessed that he and his accomplice had unlawfully exhumed a freshly buried corpse, removed the body from the casket, and stolen the casket with the intention of selling it for financial gain,” the police stated.
Authorities recovered the stolen casket and the motorcycle allegedly used to transport it, while investigations were expanded to uncover other individuals connected to the crime.
A further breakthrough came on August 5, when police arrested Elijah Matthew Edet, the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery.
The command said Edet allegedly admitted to working with grave diggers in carrying out the offence, although he claimed it was his first involvement in such an act.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, condemned the incident, describing it as “barbaric, sacrilegious, morally reprehensible” and a serious violation of the dignity of the dead and the sanctity of burial grounds.
The police commissioner ordered a thorough investigation to ensure that all those involved are identified, arrested and prosecuted.
The command also praised the resident whose alertness helped expose the alleged crime, urging members of the public to remain security-conscious and continue supporting law enforcement efforts.
Police said efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining suspect, while investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the cemetery incident.
