A man who allegedly killed his own son and burnt his corpse in Ebe Ikpe, a village in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state, has been arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.

According to the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon, who spoke with journalists on Tuesday, the incident was reported at the Essien Udim Divisional Police Headquarters by the village head of the community, Chief Akpan Aniekan, and the village council chairman, Sylvester Akpan.

SP Macdon told journalists: “They reported that one Innocent Uko of Ebe Ikpe used a machete to kill his son, Boniface Innocent Uko, 26, burnt his corpse, and dumped the remains in an abandoned pit toilet in his compound to conceal the act.

“On the strength of the report, police operatives visited the scene [and recovered] the burnt corpse, now deposited at the mortuary. The suspect was arrested and has confessed to killing the deceased, on the grounds of bad character and incessant harassment and embarrassment.”

The police spokesperson also disclosed that the command had arrested Charley Edem John, who allegedly stole two seven-year-old children.

“The division, acting on an intelligence report, arrested Charley Edem John, who stole two children, each age seven, from their school. The suspect used his own kid brother, who is 10 years old and in the same school, to lure the children out of their class,” Macdon stated.

According to the police spokesperson, the suspects will be charged in court once ongoing investigations are concluded.