The Southeast Human Rights Bureau (SEHRB) has called on the Imo State Government, the Nigeria Police Force and hospital authorities to account for reports of hundreds of unidentified bodies allegedly found and removed from mortuaries in the state.
In a statement dated August 22, 2026, the group cited reports involving Ngor Okpala General Hospital and Mbieri General Hospital. It said video footage purportedly showing the transfer of large numbers of bodies, some reduced to skeletal remains had raised serious questions about the identities, origins and circumstances of the deaths.
SEHRB demanded clear answers on how so many unidentified bodies came to be held in the mortuaries, when and where the individuals died, and whether they arrived already deceased or had been patients.
The organisation also sought details of admission, treatment, death and transfer records, as well as information on who authorised the removals, where the bodies were taken and for what purpose.
The group stressed the need to know what steps, if any, had been taken to identify the deceased and notify next of kin, and whether post-mortems or other forensic procedures had been conducted.
SEHRB noted that the reports come against a background of longstanding allegations of unlawful killings and enforced disappearances linked to security operations in parts of Imo State. It cautioned, however, that such claims must neither be dismissed without investigation nor treated as proven without credible evidence.
The organisation called for an independent, transparent and impartial inquiry into the origin, identity and circumstances surrounding all the bodies reported found in or removed from the affected facilities. It urged the immediate preservation of mortuary registers, medical files, police records, death certificates, photographs, CCTV footage and any other relevant evidence.
SEHRB warned against the secret disposal, cremation, burial or other interference with the bodies before proper identification and forensic examination. Where necessary, it said, independent forensic experts should conduct autopsies, and families of possible victims should be informed and given access to reliable information.
“The fundamental issue is simple, every deceased person has a right to dignity, and every family has a right to know what happened to a missing or deceased relative,” the group stated.
If the bodies prove unconnected to any unlawful activity, SEHRB said, the authorities should have no difficulty providing a transparent account. Should an investigation establish that the deceased were victims of unlawful killings or other human rights violations, those responsible, regardless of status, must be held accountable under the law.
The organisation urged the Imo State Government, the police, hospital authorities and other security agencies to give the public a credible explanation and to cooperate fully with an independent investigation.
“The public deserve the truth. The families deserve answers. And the dead deserve dignity and justice,” SEHRB concluded.
A story of courage, wonder, and the transformative power of self-belief; perfect for readers aged 10+ who love adventure. To place order: +234 806 130 3237 | +234 803 582 0870 OR Tap the link to grab a copy:https://www.zeekapublish.com/product/the-magical-life-of-anna
