Man kills two farmers in cannabis farm dispute in C’River

…dumps bodies in River

By Ike Uchechukwu, CALABAR

The Cross River State Police Command has detained 57‑year‑old Mr. Udo Samuel Sunday in connection with the alleged murders of two farmers whose bodies were reportedly disposed of in a river after a dispute over an illegal cannabis plantation in Odukpani Local Government Area.

In a press release issued on Monday, the command said the incident was reported on June 5, 2026, when 28‑year‑old Mrs. Regina Akan Patrick visited a police station to report that her husband, 31‑year‑old Mr. Akan Patrick Mbang, had been missing since May 29, 2026.

ASP Sunday Eitokpah, the command’s spokesman, stated that the victim had left his home on Lagos Street, Awi, at 8:00 a.m. that day for his farm at Akpong II, Etankpini, and never returned.

“Before his disappearance, the victim had asked his wife to send him airtime so he could reach the suspect, who had invited him to a meeting at Akpong II,” the release added.

Investigators who visited the scene found that Sunday is believed to operate an illegal cannabis farm in the area, and that Mbang, together with another man known only as “Imo,” had been demanding a financial settlement from him over the farm.

“Preliminary findings indicate that both victims were lured to Akpong II Village on the night of May 29, 2026, where they were restrained before their bodies were allegedly dumped in a nearby river,” the command said.

Commissioner of Police CP Rashid Afegbua, who described the development as deeply troubling, pledged that the command would leave no stone unturned.

“We are committed to bringing the full weight of the law to bear on anyone found culpable in this heinous act. The sanctity of human life is non‑negotiable,” he said.

The suspect has since been arrested and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

Search and recovery operations for the bodies are continuing.