The Edo State Police Command has intervened to prevent a lynching and arrested a mortuary attendant following shocking allegations of organ harvesting from a corpse. The incident, which occurred at the Akugbe Mortuary in Benin City, has sparked widespread public outrage and prompted a high-level investigation.
Mob Violence Averted by Swift Police Action
On December 12, 2025, the police received an urgent distress call indicating that an angry crowd was on the verge of lynching a staff member at the Akugbe Mortuary, located along Upper Sakponba Road. The mob accused the individual of tampering with a body and stealing human parts.
Acting swiftly, the Divisional Police Officer for the Ugbekun Division mobilized operatives to the scene. The police team successfully rescued the suspect from the irate crowd, thereby averting a potential breakdown of law and order and a likely case of mob justice.
Gruesome Discovery During Burial Preparations
The alarm was raised by Marvelous Odeh and other family members who had visited the mortuary to claim the corpse of their late relative, Uyi Enogieru, for burial. After completing the necessary formalities, they made a horrifying discovery.
The family found that the corpse had been unlawfully interfered with. A preliminary examination revealed that certain body parts were missing. This gruesome finding immediately prompted the relatives to report the case to the police, which led to the initial crowd gathering and the subsequent police intervention.
High-Profile Investigation Launched
The suspect is now in police custody. On the direct order of the Commissioner of Police for Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
The SCID has been tasked with conducting a thorough, professional, and discreet investigation to unravel the full circumstances surrounding this disturbing incident. The police command has assured the public that it will leave no stone unturned in its quest for the truth.
The command has also issued a strong appeal for calm, urging members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. They have asked the community to allow the police the space to conduct a comprehensive investigation and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the full wrath of the law.
