The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested the Manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery in Uyo, Elijah Edet, and one Nsikak Effiong, for allegedly exhuming a freshly buried corpse to steal its casket for sale.
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, 2026 at about 11:30pm, after a vigilant resident spotted two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle at night.
According to police, the vigilante confronted the suspects. One suspect, Effiong Asuquo, fled while Nsikak Effiong was apprehended and handed to police. During interrogation, he confessed that he and his accomplice exhumed the fresh corpse, removed the body from the casket and stole the casket to sell for financial gain.
Police recovered the empty casket and the motorcycle. Further investigation led to arrest of the cemetery manager on August 5 at about 5pm. He admitted conspiring with the grave diggers, claiming it was his first time.
Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, condemned the act as barbaric, sacrilegious and gross violation of dignity of the dead, directing comprehensive investigation to arrest all connected persons. He commended the vigilante for vigilance, while efforts have intensified to arrest the fleeing accomplice.