Imo Shuts Down Hotel, Mortuary After Shocking Discovery of Mutilated Bodies, Organ-Harvesting Suspicion
The Imo State Government has sealed a hotel and a privately-run mortuary in Umuhu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala, after security operatives uncovered decomposed and mutilated corpses kept in disturbing, unhygienic conditions, a discovery that has triggered widespread suspicion of illegal organ-harvesting activities.
The clampdown formed part of an intensified security operation targeting kidnapping syndicates and violent criminal networks operating along the Owerri–Aba Expressway. The raid was led by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, with support from community stakeholders.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Okoye Henry, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to Henry, the operation followed credible intelligence linking a wanted suspect, Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, to a network of violent criminals believed to use the facilities for illegal activities.
“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,”
the PPRO stated.
He explained that both facilities were immediately sealed on government orders, while a search of Oparaugo’s residence led to the recovery of “crucial exhibits” now in police custody.
The Commissioner of Police vowed that every individual connected to the crime ring would be tracked down and prosecuted.
The Police further declared Stanley Morocco Oparaugo wanted, urging members of the public to volunteer credible information that could lead to his arrest, while assuring heightened patrols and enhanced security along the expressway throughout the holiday season.
In a related development, fresh calls have intensified for a full-scale investigation into allegations of human rights abuses by the Imo State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping unit, widely known as the Tiger Base Unit.
Civil society organisations and concerned citizens are demanding intervention from the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and rights groups following reports of torture, unlawful detention, and extrajudicial killings.
The renewed agitation followed the death of 46-year-old businessman, Levi Opara, a father of five from Emekuku, Owerri North LGA, who died in the custody of the unit.
Opara was arrested on October 15, 2023, after what family members described as a “domestic misunderstanding” with his wife. Despite their attempts to secure his release, he was found dead on October 18, 2023, with conflicting accounts surrounding his final moments.
Family members, activists, and lawyers are now pushing for an independent probe to unravel the circumstances of his death and ensure accountability.
