Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspects and exhumed the body of a 21-year-old man, Emmanuel Effiong, who was allegedly beaten to death by a mob over accusations of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm. The suspects were arrested following an investigation launched on June 17, 2026, after police received credible intelligence and a viral video showing the victim being brutally assaulted. In the footage, Effiong was seen lying in a pool of blood with his hands and legs tied, being dragged along the ground beside a white Mitsubishi pick-up van, according to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John.
The police identified the arrested suspects as David Okon, popularly known as "Ita," 45; Joseph Gibson, 39; Essien Solomon, 23; and Imoh Asuquo, 28. Investigations revealed that the deceased was accused of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm in Mbak 4 Community, Uyo Local Government Area, on April 19, 2026. Instead of being handed over to law enforcement authorities, he was allegedly subjected to a brutal mob attack, during which he was beaten with sticks and machetes until he died.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly tied the victim's hands and legs, dragged his body through the community to a junction where it was abandoned for about two days, before transporting it on a wheelbarrow into a nearby forest and burying it in a shallow grave in an attempt to conceal the crime. The suspects confessed to their respective roles during interrogation and subsequently led investigators to the burial site in the forest, where the victim's remains were exhumed and deposited at the morgue for autopsy. The Command 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 suspected to have been used in carrying out the attack.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, condemned the killing, describing jungle justice as a serious criminal offence with no place in a civilized society. He stressed that no individual or group has the legal authority to assault, torture or kill anyone based on mere suspicion, noting that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Police Commissioner urged residents to always hand over suspected offenders to security agencies for proper investigation and prosecution, warning that the Command would relentlessly pursue and prosecute all those involved in mob violence, extrajudicial killings and other criminal acts. He reaffirmed the Command's commitment to protecting lives, upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all those responsible for criminal offences are brought to justice.
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