
Mr. Stanley Morocco Oparaugo, a mortuary owner in Umuhu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala LGA of Imo State, has gone into hiding after police declared him wanted over alleged organ harvesting at his facility.
Oparaugo also runs a hotel in the community.
The Imo State Police Command carried out an operation at the mortuary which led to the discovery of disjointed and unkempt corpses in the facility.
The manner in which the dead bodies were tampered with, according to the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, suggested that organ harvesting is going on in the mortuary.
In a statement made available to journalists, Okoye disclosed that the operation was personally led by the police commissioner, Aboki Danjuma, acting on credible intelligence concerning the activities of the morgue.
He added that the operation was assisted by a vigilante group from the LGA, in line with ongoing efforts to curb kidnapping and other violent crimes within the state, especially along the Owerri–Aba Expressway.
The statement disclosed that decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions in the morgue.
“Following these discoveries, both the hotel and mortuary were sealed on the directive of the state government. The suspect’s residence was also searched, and crucial exhibits were recovered,” the statement explained.
Okoye further hinted that a forensic report which was documented by the pathological department of the State Specialist Hospital will be used in the ongoing investigation.
He added that the Commissioner of Police assured the public that all accomplices would be identified and brought to justice.
“Stanley Morocco Oparaugo has been declared wanted. Anyone with useful information should contact the nearest police station or call 0803 477 3600.
Maximum security has also been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway. The Command assures travelers during the holidays of its commitment to their safety,” the statement added.