Claim Your Relatives’ Bodies From Mortuaries In 7 Days Or Risk Mass Burial, Oyo Govt Warns

The Oyo State Government has issued a stern warning to families and relatives of deceased persons whose bodies remain unclaimed in public hospital mortuaries across the state, urging them to come forward within seven days or risk having the corpses buried in a mass burial exercise being planned by the government.

The warning was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, who disclosed that public hospital mortuaries across the state are currently overwhelmed by a growing number of unclaimed corpses deposited by security and emergency agencies.

According to the commissioner, the bodies were brought to government health facilities by the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, the Nigerian Correctional Service and other relevant agencies, but have remained unclaimed for extended periods.

She explained that the situation has created severe congestion in mortuaries, with many of the facilities reaching their storage limits.

“The Oyo State Government has observed a significant increase in the number of unclaimed corpses currently deposited in mortuaries within public health facilities across the state,” Ajetunmobi said.

She noted that the development has become a major challenge for the affected hospitals and is beginning to hinder the efficient management of health facilities.

“In view of this development and the need to ensure the continued efficient operation of health facilities, members of the public, particularly individuals with missing relatives, are urged to visit the relevant public hospital mortuaries for the purpose of identification and possible claim of the corpses,” she disclosed.

The commissioner disclosed that arrangements were already being concluded for the burial of all unclaimed bodies currently occupying space in the affected mortuaries.

She said: “Arrangements are being finalised for the conduct of a mass burial of all unclaimed corpses in the affected facilities, which will take place seven days from the date of this publication.”

Ajetunmobi explained that the seven-day notice was intended to provide relatives, friends and other concerned persons an opportunity to identify and claim the bodies before the planned burial exercise.

She appealed to residents whose family members have been missing to take advantage of the notice period by visiting public hospital mortuaries across the state.

The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining acceptable public health standards and ensuring the effective management of healthcare facilities.

“The Oyo State Government remains committed to maintaining acceptable public health standards and ensuring the effective management of healthcare facilities across the state,” she added.