Authorities in Edo State, Nigeria, have taken a mortician into custody amid serious accusations of removing organs from a deceased individual’s body at a private facility.
The incident occurred at Aigbe Mortuary, located on Akugbe Street in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area. Following reports from the bereaved family, the Edo State Police Command responded promptly to a distress call and initiated an investigation into the matter.
The family had deposited the body of their deceased relative at the mortuary for preservation ahead of burial arrangements. However, upon retrieval, they noticed an unusual and strong odor emanating from the corpse.
During preparations, while applying perfume to mitigate the smell, they allegedly found that the abdominal cavity had been opened, with vital internal organs missing and the area reportedly filled with cellophane material to conceal the tampering.
The discovery led to significant disruption, including the postponement of the funeral and the return of the body to the facility for clarification. Outrage from the community resulted in a mob gathering and attacking the mortuary, prompting other families to withdraw their deposited remains.
A circulating video depicted the corpse with a visible incision in the chest region and cellophane being extracted. Police spokesperson SP Eno Ikoedem confirmed the detention and assured that a thorough probe is underway to establish the facts and hold any responsible parties accountable.
