The Imo State Government on Saturday sealed a hotel and a private mortuary in Umuhu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala, after authorities discovered decomposed and mutilated corpses stored under unsanitary conditions, sparking suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting.
The operation is part of an ongoing crackdown on kidnapping and violent crimes along the Owerri–Aba Expressway, led by Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma in collaboration with other security agencies.
The development was confirmed in a statement dated Saturday and shared on X.com by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Okoye Henry.
According to the statement, the action followed credible intelligence regarding a suspected criminal, Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, who remains at large.
Henry said, “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 found in unhygienic conditions, raising suspicions of illegal organ harvesting. On the directive of the State Government, both establishments were sealed. The suspect’s residence was also searched, and crucial exhibits recovered.”
The police assured the public that all accomplices would be identified and prosecuted. “Stanley Morocco Oparaugo has been declared wanted. Anyone with useful information should contact the nearest police station. Maximum security has been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway,” the statement added.
The command further reassured travelers during the holiday period of its commitment to ensuring their safety.
In a related matter, PUNCH Online reported calls by Nigerians for the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and human rights organizations to investigate alleged unlawful detentions, extrajudicial killings, and torture by Imo State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping unit, popularly known as the Tiger Base Unit.
The calls were prompted 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, Owerri North Local Government Area, was arrested on October 15, 2023, following a domestic dispute with his wife. His family claimed that despite attempts to secure his release, he was found dead on October 18, 2023, with conflicting accounts surrounding the circumstances of his death.
