Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested a cemetery manager and a grave digger over the alleged exhumation of a freshly buried corpse and theft of its casket in Mbiokporo Cemetery, Uyo. Police identified the suspects as Elijah Matthew Edet, the cemetery manager, and Nsikak Effiong, while another suspect, Effiong Asuquo, is still on the run.

According to the command’s spokesperson, Timfon John, the incident occurred on the night of August 3, 2026, after a vigilante operative spotted two men transporting a casket on an unregistered motorcycle in Nsit-Ibom. The vigilante intercepted the suspects, leading to the arrest of Nsikak Effiong, who allegedly confessed that they dug up a recently buried corpse, removed the body from the casket and planned to sell the coffin for financial gain. Police also recovered the empty casket and the motorcycle used in the operation.

Further investigation led to the arrest of cemetery manager Elijah Matthew Edet on August 5. Police said he admitted to conspiring with the grave diggers, although he claimed it was his first involvement in such an offence. Authorities said efforts have been intensified to track down the remaining suspect as investigators continue to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Reacting to the development, Commissioner of Police Baba Azare described the act as barbaric, sacrilegious and a gross violation of the dignity of the dead. He directed investigators to carry out a thorough and intelligence-driven probe to ensure everyone connected to the crime is identified and prosecuted, while also commending the vigilante operative whose swift action helped foil the suspects’ escape.