Edo State Police have arrested a mortuary attendant following explosive allegations of organ harvesting from a corpse, an incident that nearly triggered a deadly mob attack and has cast a harsh spotlight on the shadowy, illicit trade in human body parts.
By Usman Aliyu
Benin, Dec 14, 2025 (NAN) – A routine visit to collect a loved one’s body for burial descended into horror and chaos at the Akugbe Mortuary in the Upper Sakponba area of Edo State. Relatives of the deceased arrived on Friday only to make a grisly discovery: vital organs were allegedly missing from the corpse, with the chest cavity reportedly emptied and stuffed with nylon.
The immediate, violent reaction from the family and community underscores the deep-seated fears and cultural taboos surrounding the mutilation of the dead in Nigeria. This is not merely a case of theft; it taps into pervasive anxieties about ritual killing and the black-market demand for human organs, which fuels a global illicit trade estimated to generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
An eyewitness, Osaro Ivie, described a scene of pandemonium. “Tempers flared immediately. The family members were beside themselves with grief and rage, accusing the attendant of engaging in ritual practices,” Ivie recounted. The situation escalated rapidly, with the mob threatening to lynch the accused attendant and set the mortuary ablaze—a stark example of the breakdown in public trust in official institutions to deliver justice.
Police intervention was critical in preventing a tragedy. ASP Eno Ikoedem, Public Relations Officer for the Edo State Police Command, confirmed that a distress call was received about a mob on the verge of an attack. “The Divisional Police Officer, Ugbekun Division, was immediately mobilised to rescue a mortuary attendant alleged to have harvested organs of a corpse,” Ikoedem stated. The suspect was extracted from the volatile crowd and taken into custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where a probe is now underway.
Context and Underlying Issues: This incident is not an isolated one. It exposes critical vulnerabilities in the management of mortuary facilities, particularly private ones operating with varying degrees of oversight. The alleged crime raises urgent questions: Was this an opportunistic act by a lone individual, or is it indicative of a more organized network? Organ harvesting typically serves two grim markets: one for ritual purposes, driven by superstition and the belief in the potency of body parts for wealth or power rituals, and another for transnational trafficking, where organs are sourced for illegal transplants. The method described—crudely removing organs and stuffing the cavity—suggests a rushed, non-medical operation, often associated with the former.
ASP Ikoedem has assured the public of a thorough investigation, urging calm and respect for due process. However, this case highlights a broader societal challenge. The near-instant resort to mob violence reflects a desperate lack of faith in the system, while the alleged crime itself points to a severe regulatory failure. For families, the profound violation of laying a loved one to rest in an incomplete state compounds the trauma of loss with a lasting sense of injustice and defilement.
The outcome of the police investigation will be closely watched, not only for justice in this specific case but also for what it might reveal about the safeguards—or lack thereof—protecting the deceased in mortuary care across the region. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
AUO/EBI
Edited by Benson Iziama
