Authorities apprehend cemetery administrator and burial grounds worker for unlawfully unearthing a body and pilfering a coffin

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Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have apprehended one Nsikak Effiong and the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery, Elijah Edet, for allegedly conniving to exhume a freshly buried corpse with the intent to sell the casket for financial gains.

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The command’s Public Relations officer, Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Uyo, the state capital, on Thursday.

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She said the incident occurred on August 3, 2026, at about 11:30 pm in Nsit-Ibom, following a distress call from a vigilante operative who reported suspicious activities at the cemetery, adding that he sighted two men conveying a casket on an unregistered motorcycle.

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According to the command’s spokesperson, the vigilante operative confronted the suspects.

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However, in an attempt to evade arrest, one of the suspects, Effiong Asuquo, fled the scene while his accomplice, Effiong, was apprehended and handed over to the police.

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During interrogation, 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.

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The PPRO added that the police have recovered the empty casket and the unregistered motorcycle, noting that investigations have commenced to uncover the circumstances surrounding the crime and identify all persons connected to the act.

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She disclosed that further investigation led to the arrest of the cemetery manager on August 5, 2026, at about 5:00 pm, adding that during interrogation, the suspect admitted to conspiring with the grave diggers in the commission of the offence, stating that it was his first involvement in such criminal activity.

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“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the unlawful exhumation of a freshly buried corpse and the theft of a casket at Mbiokporo Cemetery, Uyo, with the arrest of two suspects, including the manager of the cemetery, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend another accomplice who remains at large.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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.

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“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 statement read.

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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 the dead.

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He 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.

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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.

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The police boss urged residents to remain security conscious and continue to provide timely, credible information to the police.

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