The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a village head, Chief Okon Asuquo Eteokpo, and other suspects in connection with the murder of vigilantes of the State Ministry of Internal Security and Inland Waterways, News About Nigeria reports.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO ASP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday.
He stated that two corpses of three murdered marine hunters of the ministry were exhumed from shallow graves with heads severed in Unyenghe, Mbo Local Government Area.
He noted that the victims were kidnapped, murdered, and buried by the notorious criminals in the state, adding that the command carried out the exhumation on Thursday following credible intelligence.
The statement reads in part, “Akwa Ibom State Police Command has exhumed bodies of marine hunters of the Ministry of Internal Security and Inland Waterways who were kidnapped, murdered, and buried by notorious criminals in Unyenghe, Mbo Local Government Area.
“The Command made the Exhumation Thursday, August 29, following information it received on August 18 that the Marine Hunters abducted and killed were buried in shallow graves within the community.
“The Command’s operatives, on getting the information, embarked on a chase of the suspects and arrested Anthony Archibong ‘M’ 46yrs, Emmanuel Emmanuel Otoyo ‘M’ 18yrs, Daniel Edet Okon ‘M’ 26yrs, Eniete Harry Tom ‘M’ 34yrs, Joseph Okon ‘M’ 44yrs, alongside the Village Head of Utit Antai, Chief Okon Asuquo Eteokpo who is said to be their ally and spiritual fortifier. 15 live cartridges were recovered from them.
“Upon their arrest, a combined team of the command launched a search for the corpses and found them buried in shallow graves after hours of frantic toil, with their heads dismembered. They were three, but we recovered two.”
She further maintained that the command remains intentional in ridding the state of crime and criminal elements, and also appealed to the public to report suspicious people and movements within their domain to the nearest police station.
