Two arrested in Akwa Ibom for exhuming corpse to steal casket

Authorities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, have arrested two people, including the manager of the Mbiokporo Cemetery in Uyo, in connection with the alleged exhumation of a freshly buried corpse and the theft of its casket.

The incident came to light on August 3rd when a concerned resident alerted the police to suspicious activity at the cemetery. The resident reportedly witnessed two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle late at night and confronted them. One suspect, identified as Effiong Asuquo, fled, while the other, Nsikak Effiong, was apprehended and handed over to the police.

During interrogation, Nsikak Effiong allegedly confessed that he and his accomplice had exhumed a recently buried body, removed it from the casket, and stolen the casket with the intention of selling it. Police recovered the empty casket and the motorcycle used in the alleged crime. The cemetery manager, Elijah Edet, was arrested on August 5th after admitting to conspiring with grave diggers in the act.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, condemned the incident as "barbaric, sacrilegious, morally reprehensible, and a gross violation of the dignity of the dead, the sanctity of burial grounds, and the cultural and religious values of our society." He has directed a thorough investigation to ensure all involved parties are identified and prosecuted. The police are also intensifying efforts to apprehend the suspect who escaped.

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barbaric, sacrilegious, morally reprehensible, and a gross violation of the dignity of the dead, the sanctity of burial grounds, and the cultural and religious values of our society.