The Edo State Police Command has arrested a mortuary attendant at Akugbe Mortuary in the Upper Sakponba area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area over allegations of illegal organ harvesting.
The arrest followed an incident on Friday when relatives of a deceased person arrived at the mortuary to retrieve the body for burial and reportedly discovered that vital organs were missing. The discovery sparked outrage and nearly led to a breakdown of law and order at the facility.
An eyewitness, Osaro Ivie, said the situation escalated rapidly as family members alleged that the chest cavity of the deceased had been emptied and stuffed with nylon.
The angry crowd reportedly attempted to lynch the mortuary attendant and threatened to set the mortuary on fire before police officers intervened to restore calm.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the command received a distress call and immediately deployed the Divisional Police Officer of the Ugbekun Division to the scene.
“The suspect was rescued from the mob and taken into custody,” she said, adding that the mortuary attendant is currently being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Ikoedem noted that investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the allegation and urged the public to remain calm while due process is followed.
She also recalled a separate recent case in Edo State involving the arrest of a 49-year-old man accused of killing his 15-year-old son and secretly burying the body in their family compound at Uhe Community in Igueben Local Government Area, adding that the body was later exhumed for investigation.
Mortuary Attendant In Police Net Over Alleged Organ Harvesting in Edo
