The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its investigation into the murder of a 21-year-old man, Emmanuel Effiong, with the arrest of four suspects allegedly involved in the mob killing and secret burial of the victim.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the investigation began after the police received credible information on June 17, 2026, alongside a viral video showing the deceased being brutally assaulted by a group of individuals.

In the footage, the victim was seen lying helpless 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 police said a painstaking investigation was immediately launched, leading to the arrest of four principal suspects.

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.

“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.

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.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, condemned the killing and described jungle justice as a serious criminal offence with no place in a civilised society.

He stressed that no individual or group has the legal authority to assault, torture or take the life of any person under any circumstance or suspicion.

The Commissioner reiterated that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction and that anyone apprehended for an alleged offence must be handed over to the police or other lawful authorities for due process.

Azare further warned that the command would continue to pursue and prosecute all individuals involved in mob violence, extrajudicial killings and other criminal acts, regardless of their status or influence.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the sanctity of human life, upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all persons found culpable are brought to justice. (Channels TV)

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