The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a cemetery manager and a gravedigger for allegedly exhuming a recently buried corpse and stealing its coffin to sell for financial gain.
The Punch reported that the suspects, identified as Nsikak Effiong and the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery, Elijah Matthew Edet, were apprehended following investigations into the incident, which occurred in Nsit-Ibom.
The command’s spokesperson, Timfon John, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday in Uyo.
According to her, the case came to light on August 3, 2026, at about 11:30 p.m. after a vigilante operative alerted the police to suspicious activity at the cemetery. The operative reportedly saw two men transporting a coffin on an unregistered motorcycle and confronted them.
One of the suspects, identified as Effiong Asuquo, escaped during the confrontation, while Nsikak Effiong was arrested and handed over to the police.
During interrogation, Effiong allegedly admitted that he and his accomplice dug up a freshly buried grave, removed the corpse from the coffin and planned to sell the stolen casket for profit.
Police recovered the empty coffin and the motorcycle used to transport it, while investigators widened their probe into the incident.
The investigation later led to the arrest of cemetery manager Elijah Matthew Edet on August 5. Police said he confessed to collaborating with the grave diggers, describing it as his first involvement in such an act.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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 added that the Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, condemned the act, describing it as barbaric, sacrilegious and a grave violation of the dignity of the deceased.
The police commissioner also ordered a thorough, intelligence-led investigation to ensure everyone connected with the crime is identified and prosecuted in line with the law.
He further praised the vigilance and prompt action of the vigilante operative, noting that the intervention prevented the suspects from escaping with the stolen coffin.
The command urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to aid crime prevention.
