A grave incident in Abia State has led to the arrest of mortuary attendants after a deceased man’s genitals were discovered to be missing from his body, causing a wave of anger among his relatives and the community. The situation escalated to the point of destruction of the mortuary facility and the near lynching of the workers involved.
The deceased, identified only as Chimaobi, a young man in his twenties, was reportedly electrocuted while attempting to tamper with high-tension electricity cables in the Abayi Okorator area of Abia. His body had been taken to a mortuary in Umuezibe, Obingwa, along the Aba/Ikot Ekpene highway, awaiting burial.
However, things took a dramatic turn when relatives and youths from Chimaobi’s community went to retrieve his body for burial. Upon inspection, they were horrified to discover that his genitals were missing. This shocking discovery led to outrage, with the deceased’s relatives demanding answers.
An eyewitness revealed to our correspondent that the mortuary attendants initially tried to escape as the tension mounted. The youths from the community, angered by the discovery, quickly moved to destroy the mortuary facility and also threatened the workers. The mortuary, located along a major highway, became the scene of chaos, with people rushing to remove their relatives’ bodies from the premises to prevent further desecration.
“The youths were furious when they saw that the deceased’s body had been tampered with. It didn’t take long before they started smashing parts of the mortuary and chasing the workers. The attendants tried to run, but the angry crowd apprehended them,” the eyewitness stated.
In the midst of the turmoil, police officers from the Eastern Ngwa Division arrived at the scene to restore order. Their prompt intervention was credited with saving the mortuary attendants from being lynched by the crowd. The police took the workers into custody for questioning, and the situation was reportedly brought under control.
A senior police source confirmed the arrest of the mortuary attendants but declined to comment further on the matter. “The situation is under control, and we have made arrests. Further investigation will reveal the full details,” the source said.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the state of mortuary services in the region, as well as the integrity of workers entrusted with handling deceased bodies. Local residents have expressed alarm at the possibility of such grave misconduct being carried out in what is meant to be a place of respect for the dead.
In the aftermath, families of other deceased individuals whose bodies were kept in the same mortuary rushed to remove their loved ones, fearing that their remains could also be tampered with. Some families even chose to bury their dead immediately, rather than risk further disturbances or the possibility of desecration.
Authorities in Abia State have not issued an official statement on the incident, but the public outcry continues to grow. Many are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter, urging the state government to take action against those responsible for the incident.
The police are reportedly investigating whether the mortuary attendants acted alone or if there were any other parties involved in the mutilation of the deceased’s body. Local leaders and community members have vowed to keep pressure on the authorities until justice is served.
Meanwhile, residents in Abia have been left in shock and disbelief over the bizarre and disturbing events, with many questioning how such a violation of human dignity could occur in a mortuary that is supposed to ensure the respectful handling of the dead. The situation has brought to light wider issues regarding the management and oversight of mortuary facilities in the state.
As investigations continue, the case remains a major topic of discussion in Abia and surrounding areas, with citizens demanding greater accountability and transparency in the treatment of the deceased. It is hoped that the authorities will act swiftly to ensure that justice is served and that such an appalling incident does not happen again.
