A mortuary attendant at Akugbe Mortuary in the Upper Sakponba area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State has been arrested by the police following allegations that vital organs were removed from a corpse. The incident caused tension in the area and almost led to mob violence before the police stepped in to restore calm.
According to information gathered, the incident happened on Friday when family members of a deceased person arrived at the mortuary to collect the body for burial. During preparations to take the body away, the relatives allegedly discovered that some internal organs were missing, leading to serious accusations against the mortuary attendant on duty.
The discovery immediately sparked anger among the family members, who accused the attendant of removing the organs for ritual purposes. News of the allegation spread quickly, drawing a large crowd to the mortuary and creating a tense situation in the neighborhood.
An eyewitness, Mr Osaro Ivie, described the scene as chaotic. He said the relatives became furious after noticing what they believed was tampering with the body.
“The relatives claimed that the chest of the deceased had been opened, and that the organs inside were removed and replaced with nylon,” Ivie said.
He explained that the crowd grew rapidly as more people gathered at the mortuary. Some members of the crowd reportedly threatened to attack the mortuary attendant and set the building on fire. According to him, the situation might have turned deadly if the police had not arrived in time.
Cases involving alleged organ harvesting often trigger strong emotions in many Nigerian communities. This is because of widespread fears and beliefs surrounding ritual practices and the illegal trade in human body parts. In the past, similar allegations have led to mob actions, destruction of property, and loss of innocent lives.
Confirming the incident, the Edo State Police Command said it received an urgent distress call about an attempted mob attack at the mortuary. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Assistant Superintendent of Police Eno Ikoedem, said officers were immediately deployed to the scene.
“The command received a distress call that someone at Akugbe Mortuary was about to be lynched. The Divisional Police Officer of Ugbekun Division was immediately mobilised to rescue the mortuary attendant accused of harvesting organs from a corpse,” Ikoedem said.
She explained that the quick response by the police helped to prevent a breakdown of law and order. The suspect was safely rescued from the angry crowd and taken into police custody for questioning.
According to the police spokesperson, the mortuary attendant is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Benin City. She said investigations are ongoing to determine what actually happened and whether any crime was committed.
Ikoedem urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands. She stressed that mob justice is dangerous and can lead to the death of innocent people.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the operations of private mortuaries in Edo State and other parts of the country. Many families depend on mortuaries to preserve the bodies of their loved ones before burial, sometimes for several weeks or months. During this period, trust between mortuary operators and families is very important.
In recent years, there have been reports in different parts of Nigeria of families accusing mortuary workers of tampering with corpses or mishandling bodies. While some of these cases later turned out to be misunderstandings or false claims, others have resulted in arrests and prosecutions.
Edo State, like many other states in Nigeria, has laws guiding the operation of mortuaries and the handling of corpses. Mortuaries are expected to follow strict rules, including proper documentation and transparency in their work. Allegations such as the one at Akugbe Mortuary raise concerns about monitoring and enforcement of these rules.
Residents of the Upper Sakponba area said the incident has caused fear and anger in the community. Some residents called on the state government to carry out regular inspections of mortuaries to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“We need better supervision of these places,” a resident who asked not to be named said. “People should feel safe when they leave the bodies of their loved ones in mortuaries.”
The police have assured the public that the investigation will be thorough and fair. According to the command, forensic experts and other relevant authorities may be involved to establish the facts surrounding the alleged removal of organs.
The Edo State Police Command also used the opportunity to warn against spreading unverified information that could worsen the situation. The command advised residents to report suspicious activities to the police rather than resorting to violence.
As of Sunday, calm had returned to the area following the police intervention. The mortuary remains under watch, while the suspect continues to be questioned by investigators.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to determine whether the mortuary attendant will be charged to court or released. For now, the police have maintained that no conclusions should be drawn until all facts are established.