The Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Essien Udom, SAN, has affirmed that the gruesome killing of Iniubong Umoren was not a ritual murder, but a clear case of rape and premeditated homicide,
Dispelling widespread social media speculation in Uyo at the weekend that the 2021 killing involved a ritual syndicate, the Attorney General emphasized that thorough police and DSS investigations found no evidence of ritual activity or multiple corpses as initially alleged online.
“We followed the facts, not the fiction, What happened was the calculated rape and murder of a young woman who was simply looking for a job. Let’s be clear: this was not ritual killing, and the court confirmed it beyond reasonable doubt.
“The conviction of Uduak-Abasi Frank Akpan, who lured Iniubong Umoren to a fake job interview, raped her, and brutally murdered her, led to a death sentence handed down by Justice Bassey Nkanang in August 2022. The state’s legal team, led by the Attorney General himself, successfully prosecuted the case in just ten months, a rare speed in Nigeria’s criminal justice process” the AG said
Director of Public Prosecutions, Friday Johnson Itim, who joined the Attorney General at the briefing, added: “The conviction was based on credible evidence, including confessional statements, witness testimony, and forensic findings. We stand by the judgment. This was a textbook case of rape and murder, prosecuted to the letter of the law.”
It could be recalled that the late Iniubong Umoren, a 26-year-old graduate awaiting NYSC mobilization, left home for a job interview on April 29, 2021, and never returned. Her friend and sister raised the alarm, which quickly went viral online. Investigations led to the arrest of Akpan, who confessed to the crime and led police to the shallow grave in his father’s compound.
According to Udom, “Her body was not found with any mutilation or missing parts. The killer buried her immediately after strangling her. The online claims of exhumed bodies and ritual practices were entirely false.”
While Akpan was sentenced to death for rape and murder, his father and sister initially charged as accessories were acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence.
The Attorney General has therefore called on citizens to remain cautious when engaging with job offers from strangers and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to swift and fair justice in all cases of violence, especially against women.
“This judgment is not just about punishing a killer it is about restoring public faith in the law and protecting every daughter in Akwa Ibom State,” Udom said.
