Police arrest cemetery manager, grave digger for exhuming corpse, stealing casket

In a recent development, police in Akwa Ibom State have made arrests in connection with the exhumation of a recently buried corpse and the theft of a casket. The Akwa Ibom State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Timfon John, announced the apprehension of Nsikak Effiong and the cemetery manager, Elijah Edet, in a statement to newsmen in Uyo, the state capital.

The incident, which occurred on August 3, 2026, was reported by a vigilante operative who noticed two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle in Nsit-Ibom at around 11:30 pm. Upon confronting the suspects, the vigilante was confronted by Effiong Asuquo, who fled the scene, while his accomplice, Effiong, was apprehended.

Effiong confessed to conspiring with the grave diggers to exhumate a corpse, remove it from the casket, and sell the casket for personal financial gain. The police have recovered the empty casket and the unregistered motorcycle, and are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crime and identifying all individuals involved.

Further arrests, including that of the cemetery manager on August 5, 2026, have been made as the investigation continues. The Akwa Ibom State Police Command condemned the act as barbaric, sacrilegious, and a violation of the dead's dignity, urging residents to remain vigilant and provide information to the authorities.