Get Guardian on GoogleThe Oyo State Government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to relatives and next of kin of unclaimed corpses deposited in public hospital mortuaries across the state, urging them to come forward for identification and collection or risk a planned mass burial exercise.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, who said the government had observed a rising number of unclaimed bodies occupying mortuary facilities in public health institutions.
According to her, the corpses were brought in by agencies including the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security and emergency response agencies following incidents such as accidents and criminal-related deaths.
She noted that many of the bodies had remained unclaimed for extended periods, leading to severe congestion in mortuary facilities, some of which had exceeded their storage capacity.
Dr. Ajetunmobi said the development had created operational challenges for health institutions, necessitating urgent intervention to ensure proper management of public health infrastructure.
She therefore urged members of the public, particularly those with missing relatives, to visit designated public hospital mortuaries across the state within seven days for possible identification and claim of the bodies.
The commissioner disclosed that arrangements had been concluded for a mass burial of all unclaimed corpses after the expiration of the seven-day deadline.
She explained that the notice period was intended to provide adequate opportunity for families and concerned persons to come forward before the disposal exercise.
The government reiterated its commitment to maintaining public health standards and ensuring the efficient management of health facilities across the state.
