A High Court in Akwa Ibom State has sentenced Sgt. Goodnews Akpan to death by hanging for the torture and murder of a suspect in police custody.
On 25 May 2026, Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel delivered the sentence after finding Akpan guilty of the offence committed on 19 November 2023 while he served in the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Uyo. The victim was under investigation for a bailable offence.
The court heard that Akpan was trained by the late CSP Ekene Nwosu, described in court documents as a former officer of the squad.
“Sgt Goodnews Akpan was trained by the Late Notorious Police CSP Ekene Nwosu who incarcerated hundreds of Akwa Ibomites that couldn’t afford to come up with huge amount of money to bribe him,” the statement said.
The statement added that efforts had been made to report Nwosu to authorities. “Nigeria Police Force did absolutely nothing about it upon me flying to Abuja back and forth and petitioning him at Police Force Headquarter, Police Service Commission, Nigeria Senate and at the National Assembly when Akwa Ibom State Government and the then Commissioner of Police carefully refused to stop him since he had support of top politicians in the State.”
Nwosu died while standing trial. “Police Brutality and Torture is a crime against Humanity / Mankind and this is exactly what I wanted to do to that Police Kriminal called Ekene Nwosu until the Heediiot died mysteriously while standing trial with me in court upon losing all the cases in court that I facilitated against him in support of his surviving victims,” the statement read.
Commenting on the sentencing, the statement said: “Let the fall of the dry leaf be a warning to the green leaves. Justice has been done.”
The statement was attributed to His Excellency Da Zion Umoh COUF, MCSN, GCOV.