Authorities in Imo State have shut down a hotel and a privately owned mortuary following allegations that both facilities were being used for kidnapping operations and illegal organ-harvesting. The state government acted after police uncovered disturbing evidence linked to a suspect now on the run.
Police spokesperson Okoye Henry confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday, explaining that officers moved in based on credible intelligence pointing to the activities of a wanted criminal, Stanley Morocco Oparaugo. The suspect, believed to be behind a syndicate operating along the Owerri–Aba Expressway, is still at large.
The operation forms part of a wider crackdown on violent crimes in the state, spearheaded by the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, in collaboration with various security agencies. The police said the targeted facilities — a hotel and a mortuary owned by Oparaugo — had long raised suspicion among investigators.
According to the statement, officers discovered decomposed and mutilated bodies inside the mortuary during their inspection. The corpses were kept in what police described as “unhygienic and disturbing conditions,” prompting strong suspicion of illegal organ-removal activities.
State authorities immediately ordered the sealing of both the hotel and mortuary as investigations deepened. The police added that Oparaugo’s residence was also searched, with “crucial exhibits” recovered to aid the ongoing probe. Details of the recovered items have not yet been disclosed.
The Imo State Government described the action as part of its commitment to dismantling criminal networks operating across the state, especially those exploiting unsuspecting citizens. Officials said further steps would be taken to ensure that businesses linked to crime are swiftly shut down.
Police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity, while efforts to apprehend the fugitive suspect continue. The command assured the public that it remains determined to stamp out kidnapping and related crimes from the state.
