By Patrick Titus, Uyo
Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested two suspects in connection with an alleged conspiracy and murder of a 26 year old man in Nsit Ibom Local Government area of the state.
The deceased, Nsikak Joshua who hailed from Oboetim Ikot Ekong village in the local government area, was gruesomely murdered by the suspects on 14th of July, 2026.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John in a press release yesterday, stated that the father of the deceased, Mr. Ekere, 52, reported the case to the police who after investigations, arrested the suspects on the 17th of July.
The complainant, DSP John stated, had reported to the command that his only son was beaten to death by one Otobong Nelson, also known as “Efok Ikid,” alongside Inemesit Robert, Utibe Clement, and Victor Robert, all residents of the same village.
According to DSP John, the complainant further stated that “on 14th July 2026 at about 8:40 am, the suspects allegedly brought the corpse of his son to his residence armed with spades, forcefully demanded that he indicate where the deceased should be buried, dug a shallow grave within his compound, buried the corpse, and thereafter threatened him against reporting the incident to the Police.
Upon receipt of the report, detectives commenced immediate investigation. Acting on credible intelligence, operatives arrested Otobong Nelson and Utibe Clement on 17th July 2026 at about 3:45 a.m.
“During interrogation, the first suspect, Otobong Nelson, made a confessional statement in which he admitted that the deceased had been summoned to answer an allegation of threatening a neighbour with a machete.
He further confessed that he ordered his subjects, identified as Utibe Clement, Victor Robert, and Inemesit Robert, to assault the deceased with sticks, which resulted in his death.
“The suspect also confessed that after the victim died, he and others conveyed the corpse to the deceased’s father’s compound and falsely informed him that his son had been knocked down by a hit-and-run vehicle. They allegedly advised the father not to take the body to the mortuary, after which the corpse was buried in a shallow grave within the compound,” DSP John stated.
“Following police intervention, the remains of the deceased were exhumed and deposited at the Morgue for preservation and autopsy,” she added.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Mohammed Baba Azare who condemned the act as unlawful, has directed that the operatives to intensify investigation to ensure the arrest of all other suspects currently at large and that everyone found culpable is brought to justice.
