Edo mortuary organ theft allegation sees attendant arrested after angry relatives discovered missing organs at Akugbe Mortuary

A mortuary attendant in Upper Sakponba, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, was arrested on Friday following allegations of missing vital organs from a corpse at Akugbe Mortuary.

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The incident reportedly triggered a violent reaction from relatives of the deceased.

Eyewitness Osaro Ivie said tempers flared when family members arrived to collect the body for burial and discovered that some organs were missing.

“The relatives claimed that the chest cavity of the deceased had been emptied and stuffed with nylon,” he said.

The situation escalated to the point where relatives threatened to lynch the attendant and set the mortuary on fire, prompting police intervention.

Confirming the arrest on Sunday, ASP Eno Ikoedem, Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, said the command received a distress call about a mob attempting to attack the suspect.

“The Divisional Police Officer, Ugbekun Division, was immediately mobilised to rescue the mortuary attendant alleged to have harvested organs of a corpse,” she stated.

The suspect was rescued and is currently detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the allegation.

ASP Ikoedem urged residents to remain calm and allow due process to take its course, assuring the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted.

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The incident has sparked widespread concern and underscores the importance of strict oversight and ethical practices in mortuary operations across Edo State.