Police Bust Alleged Graveyard Syndicate in Akwa Ibom, Arrest Cemetery Manager, Grave DiggerOperatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have uncovered an alleged graveyard syndicate with the arrest of the manager of Mbiokporo Cemetery, Elijah Matthew Edet, and a grave digger, Nsikak Effiong, over the alleged exhumation of a freshly buried corpse to steal and resell its casket. Further investigations led to the arrest of the cemetery manager, Elijah Matthew Edet, on August 5. Police said Edet admitted to conspiring with the grave diggers, although he claimed it was his first involvement in such an act. Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, CP Baba Azare, described the alleged crime as “barbaric, sacrilegious and a gross violation of the dignity of the dead.” The command said efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspect, Effiong Asuquo, while investigations continue to determine whether a wider criminal syndicate is involved.