Residents of Agwabi in the Buruku Local Government Area were left in a state of shock on Friday morning after a local mortician was apprehended for a macabre public display involving human remains.
The suspect, identified as Amaobi, who manages a local morgue, was reportedly caught using the severed leg of a deceased person as a makeshift walking stick.
The alarm was raised when Amaobi arrived at a local retail shop to purchase items, casually leaning on the human limb. The sight immediately drew a crowd of horrified onlookers.
It was learnt that local youths eventually intercepted the mortician and detained him until security personnel arrived at the scene.
”Only God truly knows what he might have been doing to those bodies in secret,” remarked Teresa Tule, a distressed resident who noted that Amaobi had worked in the community for a significant period.
He said the locals informed the police of the incident and the suspect has been transferred to the police Division in Buruku for further questioning.
He said during an initial interrogation by locals, Amaobi did not deny his actions, instead, he claimed the stunt was a “demonstration” born out of desperation.
Responding to questions, the mortician alleged that his mortuary is currently overwhelmed by the remains of over 18 suspected criminals killed by security forces last year.
According to Amaobi, the bodies have been “abandoned” at his facility for months.
He claimed that the police reportedly ignored his requests for evacuation, directing him to the local government council.
He also claimed that appeals to the Buruku Local Government Council Chairman and the Ter Buruku (traditional ruler) allegedly yielded no results.
Amaobi maintained that he resorted to the gruesome display to “attract the attention of the government” to his plight and the deteriorating sanitary conditions of his workplace.
When contacted for comment, the Police Public Relations Officer, Edet Udeme, stated she had not yet received the full report but promised to provide a formal update once the details are confirmed.
The incident has raised serious questions regarding the management of morgues in the area and the protocols for handling unclaimed remains resulting from security operations.