A mortuary attendant has been arrested by the Edo State Police Command following allegations that vital organs were removed from a corpse at a mortuary in the Upper Sakponba area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.
The incident occurred at Akugbe Mortuary and reportedly sparked outrage among relatives and friends of the deceased, who allegedly discovered that some organs were missing when they arrived on Friday to collect the body for burial.
According to eyewitness accounts, tension quickly escalated as family members accused the mortuary attendant of engaging in ritual practices. An eyewitness, Osaro Ivie, said the scene turned chaotic after claims emerged that the chest cavity of the deceased had been emptied and stuffed with nylon.
“The relatives became furious and accused the attendant of harvesting organs. They threatened to lynch him and burn down the mortuary,” Ivie said.
Police operatives were said to have arrived promptly at the scene to prevent mob action and restore order.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Edo State, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the command received a distress call indicating that a suspect was about to be lynched by an angry mob.
“The Divisional Police Officer of Ugbekun Division was immediately mobilised to the scene and rescued a mortuary attendant alleged to have harvested organs from a corpse,” Ikoedem said.
She explained that the suspect was taken into custody and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
ASP Ikoedem added that investigations were ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the allegation, assuring members of the public that the police would conduct a thorough probe.
She urged residents to remain calm and allow due process to take its course.
