The Criminal Investigative Department of the Edo State Police Command has announced that the building where mummified bodies were found was not a morgue. 

Gabriel Otu, the primary suspect, had claimed that nothing sinister had occurred in the horror setting. 

On Monday, Olawore Oluwole, the head of the Edo State Police Criminal Investigative Department, said unlawfully possessed corpses and effigies were found at the site. 

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“Following investigations by the command’s team and health personnel led by the commissioner for health, some documents were recovered portraying an approved location from the ministry of environment and sustainability,” Oluwole said on Monday. 

“The principal suspect (Otu) didn’t acquire formal training but only worked at different mortuaries as a mortuary attendant. He doesn’t have the certificate to practice as a mortician or any certification from the traditional board, ministry of health, ministry of environment, or any other appropriate certification.

“The building utilised by him was not certified nor approved by the ministry of health or environment. Other facts revealed is that the mortuary is not a layout for trado-medical institution.

“Twenty three corpses, as well as a dismembered without a skull, were found, and it depicts an unlawful possession and violates section 329 of the criminal code.

“There were also sacrilegious effigies found at the scene; some were inside while others were outside. These depict criminal elements in his possession and against section 213 of the criminal code. Some specimens were extracted and have been sent to experts for forensic analysis.”

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Obehi Akoria, the Edo State Commissioner for Health, also revealed that some mortuaries were operating without a licence in the state. 

“The Edo State Ministry of Health is using this opportunity to reach out to all persons who own or operate mortuaries or embalmment homes to come to the ministry of health, directorate of regulation and monitoring, with evidence of due registration if they are duly registered latest by September 30,” Akoria said on Monday. 

“However, for those who are not duly registered, we are giving till the close of business on September 9 for them to present themselves to the ministry of health, where we will give them the basic requirements for the operation of mortuaries or embalmment homes in the state”. 

FIJ reported how the police raided a building suspected to be used for ritual killing along Asoro slope, off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu quarters, Benin, on August 17.

Some of the mummies were standing upright on discovery.