The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the brutal mob killing of a 21-year-old man, Emmanuel Effiong, who was lynched over allegations of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm.
Police Statement and Arrests
The command's spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, disclosed the arrests in a statement on Friday, July 17, 2026. The investigation began on June 17, 2026, after police received credible intelligence and a viral video showing the victim being brutally assaulted. In the footage, Emmanuel was seen lying in a pool of blood with his hands and legs tied, before being dragged along the ground beside a white Mitsubishi pick-up van.
The arrested suspects are David Okon (alias Ita, 45 years old), Joseph Gibson (39), Essien Solomon (23), and Imoh Asuquo (28). They confessed to their respective roles during interrogation and led investigators to the burial site in a forest at Mbak 4 Community, Uyo Local Government Area.
Details of the Attack
According to the police, the victim was accused of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm along Mbak 4 Community. Instead of being handed over to law enforcement, he was subjected to a mob attack on April 19, 2026. He was beaten with sticks and machetes until he died. The suspects then tied his hands and legs, dragged his lifeless 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 they buried it in a shallow grave to conceal the crime.
Exhumation and Exhibits
The suspects led investigators to the burial site, where the remains were exhumed and deposited at the morgue for autopsy. Key exhibits recovered include the Mitsubishi pick-up van used during the incident, the wheelbarrow used to transport the corpse, and the weapons suspected to have been used in the attack.
The police statement read: “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in the investigation of a gruesome case of conspiracy and murder with the arrest of four suspects linked to the brutal killing of a 21-year-old man, one Emmanuel Effiong, whose body was secretly buried in a shallow grave after he was allegedly lynched by a mob.”
Commissioner Condemns Jungle Justice
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, condemned the act in the strongest terms, describing jungle justice as a grave criminal offence that has no place in a civilized society. He reiterated that no individual or group has the legal authority to assault, torture, or take the life of any person under any guise or suspicion. He warned that the command will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice everyone connected with mob violence, extrajudicial killings, and other forms of criminality.
