A 49-year-old farmer, Akaniyene Ignatius, has confessed to killing and beheading two elderly men in Abanyama community, Creek Town, in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Ignatius claimed that he carried out the attacks to avenge the deaths of his parents and brother.

The suspect was arrested by the police in the state following the gruesome killings of two prominent elders, identified as 75-year-old Oko Okon and 73-year-old Okon Akpan.

It was gathered that the first victim, Okon, was found dead in his home on May 24, with no immediate clue as to the identity of his killer.

Before residents could recover from the shock, Akpan was also murdered in a similar manner the following day.

The incident, however, reportedly heightened tension in the riverine community and forced many residents to flee their homes and farm settlements.

A source at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Cross River State Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said investigations later led detectives to the suspect.

The source said, “It started on May 24, 2026, when he went to the house of Oko Okon in Abanyama, Creek Town, where he met the man sleeping in his room. He strangled and killed the 75-year-old, who lived alone.

He not only killed him but also beheaded him and dumped the body behind the deceased’s house.

“He thereafter took the severed head to his late father’s farm settlement in the same Abanyama community and buried it in a shallow grave.”

The source added that the suspect struck again the following day.

“On May 25, he went to the house of another elder, Okon Akpan, a 73-year-old man in the same community. He entered through the backyard and met the deceased in front of his house around 5:20am.

“He held him from behind and strangled him to death. He thereafter moved the body to his late father’s farm settlement, where he dismembered it and buried the different parts in separate shallow graves,” the source added.

According to the source, the suspect’s alleged crimes were uncovered after members of the community identified him as the person last seen with a mattress belonging to one of the deceased.

Operatives of the homicide section subsequently arrested him while he was allegedly attempting to sell the mattress.

Following his arrest, the suspect reportedly led detectives to several shallow graves where body parts of the victims were exhumed and later deposited at the General Hospital, Creek Town.

In a confessional statement Akaniyene confessed to the killings during interrogation.

He stated that the motive for the crime was that the two elders were among those responsible for the deaths of his parents and brother many years ago.

“I am a farmer and I am 49 years old. I killed the two elders because they were among the people responsible for the deaths of my brother and my parents in 1999.

“We are from Akwa Ibom State, but my parents had lived in Cross River for many years. I was even born in Abanyama,” he said.

The suspect alleged that the tragedy stemmed from a longstanding family dispute involving his father and two elder brothers, Kokoite and Ekperite.

According to him, his father repeatedly complained to community leaders about the conduct of the two brothers, who were eventually arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned.

He claimed that after their release from prison and despite efforts by the police to restore peace, members of the community allegedly attacked one of the brothers again.

“They shot him and inflicted machete cuts on him. My other brother escaped to Lagos because he feared he would be killed too,” he alleged.

Akaniyene further claimed that the death of his brother devastated his mother, who later died, while his father passed away about a year afterwards.

“After the death of Ekperite, my mother was traumatised. She became very sick and did not survive the agony of losing her son.

“My father died about one year after the death of his wife. He could not bear the pain of losing his son and wife within a short time.

“I was left alone in the village and I vowed to avenge the deaths of my parents and brother, which I eventually did. Though I regret doing it now, it was anger that pushed me to do it,” he said.

Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, Ewa Sunday, said reports linking the suspect to the killing of more than 30 persons remained unverified.

He said, “The unfortunate incident of the alleged serial killer case in Odukpani community quickly spread, with some sources alleging that over 30 bodies were involved in these gruesome acts.

“Our immediate concern is to ensure a thorough, professional and impartial investigation into the alleged incidents in Creek Town.

“While the suspect is currently in custody and has made certain statements during interrogation, these remain subject to verification. The matter is under active investigation.

“We urge the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and allow investigators to do their work. Further developments will be communicated.”

Punch

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has vowed that anyone convicted of kidnapping in the state will face public execution by hanging at designated roundabouts, as part of sweeping measures to deter violent crime.
The governor also announced plans to establish a special court dedicated to the speedy trial of kidnapping and cultism cases, with a target of concluding trials and securing convictions within weeks.

Okpebholo made the declaration on Thursday while addressing journalists and security operatives during the parade of suspected kidnappers and other criminal suspects at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters in Benin City.

In a video shared on his X handle, the governor insisted that his administration would take a hardline approach against criminal elements operating in the state.

“Now we are going to set a special court to try suspected kidnappers and cultists and decided within two, three weeks we are done with it, and I will sign it. The execution — hang him. I will take you to the roundabout so that the whole Edo people will see you, and this I will not have any regrets about,” Okpebholo said.

He warned criminals not to misinterpret his calm disposition as weakness.

“Please don’t take my simplicity for granted,” he added.

The governor’s remarks come amid intensified security operations targeting kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes across Edo State.

Speaking on a recent kidnapping incident at the Vegetable Market in Benin City, Okpebholo said he had directed security agencies to track down the perpetrators.

He disclosed that one suspect had been arrested while another was killed during a security operation.

“Following the kidnapping incident at the Vegetable Market in Benin City, I directed security agencies to go after the perpetrators. I am pleased that one suspect has been arrested, another was neutralised during the operation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the gang,” he said.

The governor reiterated that his administration would not provide refuge for criminals.

“Look at the number of kidnappers that have been arrested. They will never find peace in Edo State. They will not settle here.

“For me, my message to them is simple: whoever has such a mind to kidnap should know that you cannot do it and go free. There is no crime that will be committed in Edo State and such a person will not be arrested.

“Whoever is supporting you or aiding you to do it should stop because we are ready for you. We are not joking. We are not sleeping. Day and night, security agencies are working to make sure that this land is safe,” he added.

Okpebholo also cautioned young people against involvement in cultism and kidnapping, warning that such choices often end in death, imprisonment, and loss of property.

“I want to appeal to our people to stay away from cultism and kidnapping because it will take you nowhere. When you kidnap, what you have you will lose, and at the same time you will lose your life,” he warned.

He commended security operatives involved in recent arrests and assured continued government support for agencies combating crime across the state.

The governor further called on residents to support security efforts by providing credible intelligence, stressing that community cooperation remains essential in defeating criminal networks in Edo State.