The family of the late Aniefiok Daniel Bassey, from Usung Itiat village, in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has petitioned the police, after the village council chairman allegedly ordered the exhumation of his corpse over the family’s inability to offer some food items as demanded by custom.
It was gathered that the deceased died on July 23, 2021, at age 61, and was buried on September 25, 2021.
The village council chairman, Chief Aniedu Okon Thompson, alongside four others, however, exhumed the remains of the late Aniefiok from his grave around 8pm.
According to the petition signed by a cousin to the deceased, Uduak Effiong Bassey, before the burial, Chief Thompson had demanded one goat, five tubers of yam, a jar of palm wine, one crate of mineral, one carton of beer, among others.
Uduak Bassey said Chief Thompson in a letter on September 26, said that the items must be provided as a condition before the remains of the late Aniefiok Daniel Bassey could be buried.
The village council chairman accused the deceased of committing an ‘abominable act’ which had resulted in the Council banning him from village activities.
He allegedly also threatened the family that there will be no burial if his demands are not met.
Effiong said that although he was afraid that the funeral proceeding might be disrupted owing to the alleged threats by Chief Thompson, however, the deceased was buried peacefully.
“Surprisingly on or at about 8:00 pm, I was shocked to witness Chief Thompson and others exhuming the remains of late Anieflok Bassey from his grave, firing gun shots into the air and eventually dumped the corpse by a bush track and covered the grave,” he said.
