University of Benin Teaching Hospital Warns of Mass Burial for 462 Unclaimed Bodies

The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has raised alarms regarding the substantial number of unclaimed corpses within its mortuary.

During an interview on a local radio station in Benin City, Professor Adebola Ehizele, the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee responsible for Research and Ethics, mentioned that the bodies, which have been in the facility since January 2023 and could remain until June 2025, are at risk of being subjected to mass burial.

According to Professor Ehizele, there are approximately 462 unclaimed bodies, a significant portion of which, around 350, are children.

She noted that the hospital management has set a deadline of six weeks for the families of these deceased individuals to come forward and retrieve them. If the time frame passes without any claims being made, the hospital will proceed with mass burials.

In an official announcement from the hospital's management, it was stated that there are plans underway to dispose of the unclaimed bodies that have been in storage for an extended period.

The statement read, "We urge the families of these deceased persons to come forth and claim their relatives as we can no longer accommodate them in the hospital's mortuary.

"Thus, we are providing a six-week notice from the date of this publication for families to retrieve their deceased.

"Any bodies that remain unclaimed after this period will be buried en masse or dealt with in another suitable manner," the statement further explained.