A’Ibom cemetery manager, accomplice nabbed over corpse exhumation, casket theft

Authorities in Akwa Ibom State have apprehended a cemetery manager and an accomplice for their alleged involvement in the desecration of a grave and theft of a casket. The suspects, identified as Elijah Edet, the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery, and Nsikak Effiong, were arrested following a tip-off about suspicious activity at the cemetery late Monday night.

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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.

A police operative on patrol spotted two men moving a casket on an unregistered motorcycle in the dark. When confronted, Effiong attempted to flee, but Edet was apprehended. During interrogation, Effiong confessed that they had exhumed a freshly buried corpse, removed it from the casket, and stolen the casket with the intention of selling it for profit.

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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.

Further investigation led to Edet's arrest on Wednesday. He admitted to conspiring with grave diggers to commit the offense, claiming it was his first foray into such criminal activity. The police have recovered the empty casket and the motorcycle used in the operation. The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has condemned the act as barbaric and sacrilegious, launching a full investigation to identify all individuals connected to the crime.

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the Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, had condemned the incident as barbaric, sacrilegious, morally re