Oyo State Sets One-Week Deadline for Families to Claim Unidentified Bodies, Threatens Collective Funeral

Oyo State's government has given a seven-day ultimatum to families of unclaimed bodies in public hospital mortuaries to identify and claim their loved ones, after which a mass burial will be conducted.

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This directive was outlined in a statement issued by Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the state's Commissioner for Health, in the state capital, Ibadan.

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Ajetunmobi noted that there has been a significant surge in the number of unclaimed corpses in mortuaries within public health facilities across the state.

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These corpses were brought in by agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Correctional Service, but have remained unclaimed over time.

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The resulting congestion in mortuaries has reached a critical point, with many facilities now operating at full storage capacity.

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In response, the public, especially those with missing relatives, are being urged to visit public hospital mortuaries to identify and potentially claim the unclaimed bodies.

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A mass burial for all unclaimed corpses is being arranged and will take place seven days after the announcement was made.

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The seven-day notice aims to give relatives and concerned individuals a chance to come forward and identify their loved ones before the burial exercise is carried out.

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Ajetunmobi reaffirmed the state government's commitment to upholding public health standards and ensuring the effective management of healthcare facilities across the state.