Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the brutal killing and secret burial of a 26-year-old man, Nsikak Joshua, whose father was forced at gunpoint to watch as his only son's body was buried in a shallow grave inside his own compound. The suspects, identified as Otobong Nelson, popularly known as "Efok Ikid," and Utibe Clement, were arrested in the early hours of July 17, 2026, following an investigation into a complaint filed by the victim's father, Mr. Ekere, on July 14, 2026. According to the police, the father reported that his son was beaten to death by Nelson and three others—Inemesit Robert, Utibe Clement, and Victor Robert—all residents of Oboetim Ikot Ekong Village in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
The father's testimony painted a chilling picture of the events that followed his son's death. He told police that on July 14, 2026, at about 8:40 a.m., the suspects arrived at his residence armed with spades, carrying his son's corpse. They forcefully demanded that he indicate where the body should be buried, dug a shallow grave within his compound, interred the remains, and then threatened him against reporting the incident to the police. Acting on the father's report, detectives launched an investigation and, acting on credible intelligence, arrested Nelson and Clement on July 17 at about 3:45 a.m.
During interrogation, Nelson reportedly confessed that the victim had been summoned over an allegation of threatening a neighbour with a machete. He admitted that he ordered his subjects—Utibe Clement, Victor Robert, and Inemesit Robert—to assault the victim with sticks, which resulted in his death. Nelson further confessed that after the victim died, he and the others conveyed the corpse to the deceased's father's compound and falsely claimed that the young man had been knocked down by a hit-and-run vehicle. They allegedly advised the father not to take the body to a mortuary before burying it in the shallow grave.
Following police intervention, the victim's remains were exhumed and deposited at a morgue for preservation and autopsy. The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, condemned the killing, describing it as barbaric, unlawful, and unacceptable. He directed investigators to intensify efforts to arrest the remaining fleeing suspects, Inemesit Robert and Victor Robert, and ensure that everyone connected with the crime is brought to justice. The police warned that no individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands, stressing that anyone involved in conspiracy, unlawful assault, murder, witness intimidation, or concealment of evidence would be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The arrest of the two suspects and the exhumation of the victim's body mark a significant step in the investigation into the alleged culpable homicide of Nsikak Joshua. The police have assured the public of their commitment to ensuring justice and have urged residents to remain law-abiding and continue providing timely and credible information to assist security agencies in combating crime across the state. As investigations continue, the community of Oboetim Ikot Ekong Village remains in shock, grappling with the brutal killing of a young man and the subsequent desecration of his remains.
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