The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four individuals in connection with the mob killing and clandestine burial of a 21-year-old man, Emmanuel Effiong. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement released to the press.
Investigation Launched After Credible Information
According to the statement, the investigation commenced after the police received credible information on June 17, 2026, that the deceased had been brutally assaulted by a group of individuals. A viral video showed the victim lying helpless in a pool of blood with his hands and legs tied, being dragged along the ground beside a white Mitsubishi pick-up van.
The police said a painstaking investigation was immediately launched, leading to the arrest of four principal suspects.
Victim Accused of Stealing Chickens and Eggs
Further investigation revealed that the deceased had allegedly been accused of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm located in Mbak 4 Community, Uyo Local Government Area. Rather than handing him over to law enforcement authorities, the suspects allegedly subjected him to a mob attack on April 19, 2026, during which he was beaten with sticks and machetes until he died.
The police stated that the suspects allegedly tied the victim’s hands and legs, dragged his body through the community to a junction, abandoned it there for about two days, and later transported the corpse on a wheelbarrow into a nearby forest, where it was buried in a shallow grave in an attempt to conceal the crime.
Suspects Confess and Lead Police to Burial Site
“During interrogation, the four suspects voluntarily confessed to their respective roles in the murder and subsequently led investigators to the burial site within the forest at Mbak 4 Community. The remains of the deceased were successfully exhumed and deposited at the morgue,” the statement said.
John said investigators also recovered key exhibits linked to the crime, including the Mitsubishi pick-up van allegedly used during the incident, the wheelbarrow used to transport the corpse, and the weapons allegedly used in carrying out the attack.
