The Imo State Government on Saturday sealed a hotel and a private mortuary in Umuhu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala, after authorities discovered over 100 decomposed and mutilated corpses in filthy conditions, triggering suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting activities.
The operation was part of a broader crackdown on kidnapping and violent crimes along the Owerri–Aba Expressway, led by the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, alongside other security stakeholders.
According to a statement by the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Okoye Henry, the raid followed credible intelligence on a suspected criminal, Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, who is currently on the run.
During the operation, Henry stated, “A hotel and a private mortuary owned by the suspect, allegedly used by kidnappers and violent criminals, were inspected. At the mortuary, decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions, raising suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting activities. Following these discoveries, both the hotel and mortuary were sealed on the directive of the State Government. The suspect’s residence was also searched, and crucial exhibits were recovered.”
The Commissioner of Police assured the public that all accomplices would be identified and prosecuted.
Oparaugo has been declared wanted, and residents have been urged to report any useful information to the nearest police station. Maximum security has also been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway to safeguard travellers during the holiday period.
In a related development, Nigerians have called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and human rights organisations to investigate allegations of unlawful detentions, extrajudicial killings, and torture linked to the Imo State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping unit, known as the Tiger Base Unit.
This follows demands for justice by the family of Levi Opara, a businessman who reportedly died under suspicious circumstances while in the custody of the unit. The 46-year-old father of five from Emekuku in Owerri North LGA was arrested on October 15, 2023, after a domestic dispute with his wife. Despite efforts by his family to secure his release, he was found dead on October 18, 2023, with conflicting accounts surrounding the events that led to his death.