The Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Monday, February 23, 2026, sentenced 30-year-old Nkereuwem Felix Effiong to life imprisonment for his role in the kidnapping of Hon. Justice Joy Unwana of the Akwa Ibom State High Court.
Effiong, a native of Ikot Ekwere in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, was convicted on three of four charges, including conspiracy, membership of a terrorist group, and kidnapping, under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Justice Unwana and her driver, Idorenyin Ekanem, were abducted on December 18, 2023, at around 8 p.m. along Okobo–Esuk Inwang–Ndon Ebom Road in Akwa Ibom State. The victims were held for five days, and during the operation, the judge’s police orderly, ThankGod Ekanem, was shot dead.
The case was prosecuted by the State Security Service (SSS), Uyo. Effiong appeared without legal representation at arraignment, prompting the court to assign the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria to represent him, ensuring that trial procedures complied with due process.
Although Effiong pleaded guilty to all four counts, the court entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf for count three, the kidnapping charge, due to the severity of the offence and the associated penalties.
The prosecution alleged that between November 2023 and May 2024, Effiong conspired with several others, including Ubong Effiong (alias “Condiment”), Christopher Eyibio, and Emem Friday, to commit acts of terrorism at Esong Inwang Beach in Uruan Local Government Area. He was also accused of belonging to a terrorist group, the “Bling Bling Marine Strike Force,” and of concealing information about the gang from security agencies.
In his confessional statement, Effiong admitted joining the gang in November 2023 through a friend, Joseph (alias Akpa). He said the gang operated across Uyo, Uruan, Nsit Atai, Udung Uko, Okobo, and Oron, using Esong Inwang Beach as their base.
Effiong confessed to participating in three kidnapping operations, including the abduction of Justice Unwana. He admitted that the gang received a N25 million ransom for the judge’s release, from which he personally received N300,000. He also acknowledged involvement in the kidnapping of a pastor in Oron and another victim whose family paid N5 million, taking smaller shares in both cases.
He revealed that the gang typically used a minibus for operations and occasionally robbed locals and fishermen for money.
Effiong was arrested on July 4, 2024, along Ikot Ekpene Road in Uyo by the SSS after months of investigation. Evidence presented at trial linked him to the gang’s activities.
Delivering judgment, Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah found Effiong guilty on counts one, two, and three, sentencing him to:
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25 years for conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism (count one)
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20 years for membership of a terrorist group (count two)
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Life imprisonment for kidnapping (count three)
He was acquitted on count four, which concerned the concealment of information.
The life sentence ensures that Effiong will spend the remainder of his natural life in prison. The conviction represents a significant step in Akwa Ibom State’s fight against kidnapping and terrorism-related crimes.