Mob k!lling: Four arrested as police exhume body of 21-year-old man lynched over alleged theft of chickens and eggs in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the brutal mob k!lling of a 21-year-old man, Emmanuel Effiong. 

The spokesperson for the command, DSP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, July 17, 2026 said Effiong was beaten to d3ath over accusations of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm in Mbak 4 Community, Uyo Local Government Area.

According to the PPRO, the arrest followed an investigation launched on June 17, 2026, after receiving credible intelligence alongside 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.

She further revealed that the young man was allegedly subjected to a brutal mob attack during which he was beaten with sticks and machetes until he d!ed.

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 arrested suspects identified as David Okon, Joseph Gibson, Essien Solomon, and Imoh Asuquo, 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.

“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in the investigation of a gruesome case of conspiracy and m8rder with the arrest of four suspects linked to the brutal k!lling 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,” the statement read.

“The investigation was initiated following credible information received on 17th June, 2026, accompanied by a viral video clip showing the deceased being brutally assaulted by a group of individuals. 

“In the disturbing footage, the victim was seen lying helpless in a pool of blood with his hands and legs tied, before being dragged on the ground beside a white Mitsubishi pick-up van.

“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, operatives of the Command commenced a  painstaking investigation which led to the arrest of four principal suspects: David Okon alias Ita 45yrs, Joseph  Gibson 39yrs, Essien Solomon 23yrs and Imoh  Asuquo 28yrs

“Further investigation revealed that the deceased was allegedly accused of stealing chickens and eggs from a poultry farm located along Mbak 4 Community in Uyo Local Government Area. 

“Rather than being handed over to law enforcement authorities, he was subjected to a barbaric mob attack on 19th April, 2026, during which he was beaten with sticks and machetes until he d!ed.

The suspects allegedly tied the victim’s hands and legs, dragged his lifeless body through the community to a certain 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 a deliberate 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.

“Investigators also recovered critical exhibits connected with the crime, including the Mitsubishi pick-up van allegedly used during the commission of the offence, the wheelbarrow used in transporting the corpse, and the weapons allegedly used in perpetrating the attack.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, has condemned the heinous act in the strongest possible 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. 

“Every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, and anyone apprehended for any alleged offence must be handed over to the Police or other lawful authorities for due process.

“The Commissioner further warned that the Command will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice every individual connected with acts of mob violence, extrajudicial k!llings and other forms of criminality, irrespective of their status or influence.

“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to protecting the sanctity of human life, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that every person responsible for criminal acts is made to face the full weight of the law.”