The Edo State Police Command has taken a mortician into custody following allegations that organs were removed from a corpse deposited at a private mortuary in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred at the Aigbe mortuary located on Akugbe Street, where the family of a deceased man raised an alarm after discovering that some internal organs were missing from his body.
The development reportedly came to light after the body had been released to the family for burial.
According to sources, the discovery was made while the body was lying in state, when family members noticed an unusual odour. Further checks revealed that the stomach area had been stuffed with cellophane, allegedly after the organs had been removed.
A family source said: “The family observed a strong smell from the body and it was while spraying perfume on the body that they discovered that some organs were harvested.
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“All the burial arrangements were scattered and the body was returned to the mortuary.
“Other people who had bodies at the mortuary rushed to take them to another mortuary.”
The source added that when the family returned the corpse to the mortuary to demand an explanation, the situation escalated, with an angry crowd attacking the facility.
A video that later circulated on social media showed the body with an opening in the chest area, while pieces of cellophane were seen being removed.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, said the suspect was arrested after the police received a distress call.
Ikoedem stated that investigations into the matter had commenced.
