KEY POINTS

• The Oyo State Government has given families seven days to identify and claim unclaimed corpses in public hospital mortuaries before a planned mass burial.

• Authorities said the bodies were brought in by agencies including the Police, FRSC, and Correctional Service, but have remained unclaimed for long periods.

• The government cited overcrowded mor

uaries, limited storage capacity, and public health concerns as reasons for the planned burial exercise.

The Oyo State Government has issued a seven-day ultimatum to families and relatives of unclaimed corpses deposited in public hospital mortuaries across the state, urging them to come forward for identification and collection before the bodies are buried in a planned mass burial exercise.

The government said the decision became necessary following the growing number of unclaimed bodies occupying mortuaries in state-owned health facilities, creating severe congestion and putting pressure on available storage space.

In a statement released by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the government disclosed that public hospital mortuaries across Oyo State have witnessed a significant increase in the number of unidentified and unclaimed corpses.

According to the commissioner, many of the bodies were deposited in the facilities by agencies including the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Correctional Service, and other relevant authorities.

She explained that despite being kept in the mortuaries for extended periods, many of the corpses have remained unclaimed, resulting in overcrowding and leaving several facilities operating beyond their storage capacities.

Government Appeals to Families of Missing Persons

The state government called on members of the public, particularly individuals searching for missing relatives, to visit public hospital mortuaries within the state to identify and claim the bodies if they suspect their loved ones may be among them.

Dr. Ajetunmobi said the appeal is aimed at giving families an opportunity to recover and properly bury their deceased relatives before the government proceeds with its planned burial exercise.

She noted that the identification process would help ease congestion in mortuaries while also ensuring that families are not permanently separated from loved ones whose remains may be among the unclaimed corpses.

The commissioner revealed that arrangements are already being finalised for the mass burial of all unclaimed corpses currently occupying the affected mortuaries.

According to her, the burial exercise will take place seven days after the publication of the notice, giving relatives and other interested persons a final opportunity to identify and claim the bodies.

She stressed that the seven-day notice serves as a humanitarian and administrative measure intended to ensure that all reasonable efforts are made to locate families before the burial exercise proceeds.

The Oyo State Government said the decision is also driven by the need to maintain acceptable public health standards and ensure the smooth operation of healthcare facilities across the state.

Officials noted that prolonged storage of unclaimed corpses can place significant strain on mortuary infrastructure and limit the ability of hospitals to effectively provide services to the public.

Dr. Ajetunmobi reiterated the government’s commitment to efficient healthcare management and maintaining sanitary conditions within public health institutions.

The government therefore urged all concerned individuals to take advantage of the seven-day window to visit the relevant mortuaries and identify any missing relatives before the planned mass burial takes place.