- The Cross River Police has paraded one
Valentine Ebani, the chief priest of Uyanga
community, for being in possession of the
decomposed head of a police inspector - The deceased, Michael James, was murdered
by rioting youths during a communal clash in
December 2017, and his head was severed
from his body - The chief priest was arrested alongside 7
other suspects believed to have carried out the
murder and taken the head to the shrine A 54-year-old man, Valentine Ebani, was paraded by
the Cross River State Police Command on Thursday,
January 11, after he was found to be in possession of
the decomposed head of a police inspector, Michael
James, Punch reports. Seven other individuals were arrested alongside
Ebani, who was identified as the chief priest and
village head of Uyanga.gathers that the 7 others were suspected to have taken the severed head to the village shrine,
after murdering Inspector James. James was killed and beheaded in the Akamkpa Local
Government Area of the state on December 25, 2017. The inspector was murdered by rioting youths, during
a communal clash between the Uyanga and Ojor
communities which have been involved in violent
communal clashes in recent times. The incident took place during a trip with his family, to
see his in-laws at Ojor village. Hafiz Inuwa, the state’s commissioner of police,
who spoke on the development, disclosed that James
had been on a visit to his in-law, ASP Dominic Umoh. He stated; “While buying fuel, Uyanga youths,
without provocation, attacked, killed and beheaded
him. His corpse has yet to be found. However, his
severed head has been recovered at Uyanga shrine. “The youths also seized the late inspector’s AK-47
rifle, with double magazines and set ablaze his Toyota
Sienna, with number plate, ENU 683 NK.” The CP stated that investigations carried out by the
police had led to the arrest of Patrick Edet, Famous
Archibong, Benjamin Abakum, Ndifon Arong, Wisdom
Inok and Effiong Odu. Among the items recovered from the suspects were
one locally-made pistol, 17 empty cartridges,
underwear of the deceased and one human skull. Inuwa further disclosed that during the festive period,
529 suspected criminals had been arrested.it was previously reported that a human rights group, Advocates of social Justice for
All, urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to
investigate reports on 23 human skulls found in Cross River state by the Nigerian military. Speaking during a press briefing, the group said the
presence of human skulls is barbaric and must be
investigated. The group’s executive director Andrew James
commended the Nigerian military for making such
discovery.

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