The Imo State Government has sealed a hotel and private mortuary in Umuhu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, following the discovery of decomposed and mutilated corpses in unhygienic conditions, which has ignited fears of illegal organ-harvesting operations linked to kidnapping syndicates. This decisive action came during a joint security operation targeting violent crimes along the Owerri-Aba Expressway, underscoring escalating concerns over criminal networks exploiting such facilities.
The raid, spearheaded by Imo State Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma alongside other stakeholders, stemmed from credible intelligence about a suspect named Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, who remains at large and has been declared wanted. Officers inspected the hotel and mortuary allegedly operated by Oparaugo and used by kidnappers and violent criminals. “At the mortuary, decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions, raising suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting activities,” stated DSP Okoye Henry, the Police Public Relations Officer, in an official release.
Both facilities were immediately sealed on the directive of the state government, while a search of the suspect’s residence yielded crucial exhibits. The operation forms part of a broader crackdown on kidnapping and related atrocities plaguing the highway corridor, with maximum security now deployed to the area. Reports from the scene highlighted over 100 abandoned and mutilated bodies in a decaying state, amplifying public outrage over potential organ trafficking.
DSP Henry emphasized the command’s commitment to justice, assuring residents that all accomplices would face the full weight of the law. “Stanley Morocco Oparaugo has been declared WANTED. Anyone with useful information should contact the nearest police station,” he added, urging community cooperation. This incident follows separate debunked viral claims against the police’s Tiger Base unit, which the command dismissed as fabrications by criminals to undermine anti-kidnapping efforts.
The sealing highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in unregulated private mortuaries and hospitality spots, prompting calls for stricter oversight amid rising kidnapping incidents in Imo State. Investigations continue as authorities hunt for Oparaugo and unravel the full scope of the syndicate’s operations.
