A 49-year-old farmer, Akaniyene Ignatius, has admitted to killing and beheading two elderly men in Abanyama community, Creek Town, Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State, in what police described as a revenge-driven attack.
The victims, identified as 75-year-old Oko Okon and 73-year-old Okon Akpan, were killed within 24 hours of each other in May, triggering panic in the riverine community and forcing some residents to abandon their homes and farm settlements.
Ignatius was arrested after investigators linked him to the crime and allegedly found him attempting to dispose of a mattress belonging to one of the victims. He later led police to shallow graves where body parts were recovered.
A senior investigator at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Cross River State Police Command, who requested anonymity, described how the first killing unfolded.
“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,” the officer said.
“He not only killed him but also beheaded him and dumped the body behind the deceased’s house.”
The officer added that the suspect transported the severed head to a family farm settlement and buried it in a shallow grave.
The second killing occurred the following day.
“On May 25, he went to the house of another elder, Okon Akpan. He entered through the backyard and strangled him around 5:20 a.m.,” the source said. “He later moved the body to the same farm settlement, dismembered it, and buried the parts in separate shallow graves.”
Police said the case began to unravel when residents reported seeing the suspect with a mattress linked to one of the victims. Detectives later arrested him and recovered human remains from multiple burial sites.
In a statement obtained during interrogation, Ignatius said the killings were linked to a decades-old family dispute.
“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,” he said.
He claimed the violence traced back to conflicts involving his father and two elder relatives, which escalated years ago through arrests, reprisals, and renewed attacks after their release from custody.
He further alleged that the deaths of his family members followed a chain of retaliation that left him alone in the community.
“My mother was traumatised after losing her son. She became very sick and did not survive. My father died about one year later,” he said. “I was left alone and I vowed to avenge their deaths. I regret it now, but anger pushed me.”
Spokesperson for the police command, Ewa Sunday, said claims that the suspect was responsible for more than 30 killings remain unverified.
“The matter is under active investigation. While the suspect is in custody and has made statements, they are still subject to verification,” he said.
He urged residents to avoid speculation and allow investigators to complete their work.
