I KILLED, BEHEADED TWO ELDERS TO AVENGE MY PARENTS’ DEATHS

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By ‘Sefiu Ajape

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 allegedly said he carried out the killings in revenge for the deaths of his parents and brother.

It was gathered that the suspect was arrested by police following the gruesome killing of two community elders, identified as 75-year-old Oko Okon and 73-year-old Okon Akpan.

The first victim, Oko Okon, was reportedly found dead in his home on May 24, with no immediate clue to the identity of the attacker.

Before residents could recover from the shock, Okon Akpan was also killed in a similar manner the following day, heightening tension in the riverine community and forcing some residents to flee their homes.

A source at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Cross River State Police Command said detectives later traced the killings 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 said.

According to the source, the suspect was arrested after community members identified him as the person last seen with a mattress belonging to one of the victims.

He was apprehended by homicide operatives while allegedly attempting to sell the mattress.

Following his arrest, he reportedly led detectives to shallow graves where parts of the victims’ bodies were exhumed and later deposited at the General Hospital in Creek Town.

In a confessional statement, Akaniyene admitted to the killings during interrogation.

He said he targeted the elders because they were allegedly 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 further alleged that the crisis stemmed from a long-standing family dispute involving his father and two elder brothers, Kokoite and Ekperite.

According to him, his father had reported them to community leaders, leading to their arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment.

He claimed that after their release, violence continued, with one of the brothers allegedly attacked 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 said the death of his brother traumatized his mother, who later died, while his father passed away about a year later.

“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, the spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, Ewa Sunday, said claims that the suspect killed more than 30 people remain 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.”