Nigerian guitarist Ifiok Effanga, popularly known as Fiokee, has spoken out following the death sentence handed to the man who killed his sister, Emem Effanga. An Akwa Ibom State High Court on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, sentenced Ndifreke Isaiah Nelson to death for the murder of his girlfriend, Emem Monday Effanga, a makeup artist based in Uyo.
Fiokee's Reaction to the Verdict
In a post shared on Thursday, Fiokee expressed gratitude for the outcome. "We've been on this case since March last year. Thank God my sister has finally gotten 'JUSTICE'. My message to everyone out there, don't take life that you didn't create," he wrote.
Details of the Crime
Nelson, who served as an usher at a new generation church in Uyo, killed Emem on February 6, 2025, and subsequently stole her phone. According to reports, on that day at around 7 a.m., the convict visited Emem at her residence on No. 102, Aka Road, opposite NEPA Line, Uyo, to use her phone to post his birthday pictures on social media.
An argument over the phone escalated into a physical struggle. Nelson slammed Emem's head against the wall and then strangled her to death. After committing the crime, he fled with her phone.
Arrest and Confession
Nelson was tracked down on February 8, 2025, at 2 a.m. to his church on Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo, where an all-night service was taking place. During interrogation, he confessed to the murder.
Court Ruling
In his ruling, the trial judge, Hon. Justice Ekpo Ntekim, found Nelson guilty on two counts: murder and stealing. He sentenced him to death by hanging or lethal injection for murder. The judge noted that the punishment for stealing was subsumed under the sentence for murder.
