The discovery of decomposed and mutilated corpses in a private mortuary at Umuhu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala, has triggered widespread fears of illegal organ-harvesting activities.
This development prompted the Imo State Government to seal the facility and an adjoining hotel allegedly linked to the prime suspect.
The operation, carried out on Saturday, formed part of an intensified crackdown on kidnapping and violent crimes along the Owerri–Aba Expressway.
It was led by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Aboki Danjuma, in collaboration with community stakeholders and security operatives.
In a statement issued by the police spokesperson of the Imo State Police Command (DSP) Okoye Henry, the action followed credible intelligence on a wanted criminal suspect, Stanley Oparaugo, who remains at large.
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According to the spokesperson, security operatives inspected Oparaugo’s hotel and privately-owned mortuary, both suspected to be used by kidnappers and violent criminals.
During the inspection, officers reportedly uncovered decomposed and mutilated corpses kept in unhygienic conditions, raising strong suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting.
Following the shocking discovery, the State Government ordered both the hotel and the mortuary sealed immediately. A search conducted at the suspect’s residence also led to the recovery of what authorities described as “crucial exhibits.”
DSP Henry noted that the Commissioner of Police had vowed that all accomplices connected to the activities at the facilities would be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
The police further declared Stanley Morocco Oparaugo wanted, urging members of the public with relevant information about his whereabouts to report to the nearest police station.
Security presence has since been reinforced along the Owerri–Aba Expressway to ensure safe travel during the festivities.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Nigerians have renewed calls for the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and human rights organisations to probe allegations of unlawful detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings linked to the Imo State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping unit, widely known as the Tiger Base.
The demands follow the case of Levi Opara, a 46-year-old father of five from Emekuku, whose family alleges he died under suspicious circumstances while in the custody of the unit after a domestic misunderstanding with his wife on 15 October, 2023.
He was reportedly found dead three days later amid conflicting accounts surrounding his final hours.
The incidents have deepened public concern over the state of security, policing practices, and human rights protection in Imo State.
