A mortician accused of harvesting the organs of a corpse deposited at his facility, the Aigbe mortuary along Akugbe Street in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Benin City, Edo State, has been arrested by the Edo State Police Command.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the incident attracted public attention when the deceased’s angry family members stormed the mortuary and vandalised it, alleging that certain organs were missing from the corpse of their late father.
It was gathered that the corpse was already taken away by the family for burial and it was during lying-in-state that the missing organs were discovered.
Family sources said the stomach of the corpse was found filled with cellophanes after the internal organs had been removed.
According to the source, “The family observed strong smell from the corpse, and it was in the process of spraying perfume on the corpse that they discovered that some organs were harvested.
“All the burial arrangement was scattered, and the corpse was returned to the mortuary.
“Other people who had corpses at the mortuary rushed to take the bodies to another mortuary.”
The source said the family returned the corpse to the mortuary for explanation and a mob vented their anger on the mortuary.
A viral video showed the corpse with an opening on the chest region and several cellophanes taken out of it.
Confirming the incident, the public relations officer of the Edo police command, Eno Ikoedem, said the mortician was taken into custody after a distress call was received.
Ikoedem, an assistant superintendent of police, (ASP) said investigation had commenced into the incident.