Amnesty International has called on the Imo State and Federal Governments to account for hundreds of unidentified bodies allegedly being moved from mortuaries in the state to unknown destinations.
The organisation expressed concern over reports that large numbers of bodies, many of them reportedly reduced to skeletal remains, were being moved at night from the mortuaries of Ngor Okpala General Hospital and Mbieri General Hospital.
In a statement on Saturday, Amnesty International Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, urged the authorities to immediately establish the identities and causes of death of the deceased and explain how and when the bodies came to be in the mortuaries.
“Imo State Government and relevant authorities must immediately account for all the bodies, establish their identities and causes of death, and explain when, where and how they came to be in the mortuaries and where they are now being taken,” Sanusi said.
He also called for the preservation of all bodies, mortuary records, medical records and other relevant evidence to prevent interference with any investigation.
“Allegations that some of the deceased may have been victims of unlawful killings during security operations in Imo State must be promptly, independently and impartially investigated,” he said.
Amnesty International urged the authorities to ensure that all the bodies are properly identified and subjected to appropriate forensic examinations, including autopsies where necessary.
It also called for the families of the deceased to be promptly informed and provided with adequate information about the whereabouts and circumstances surrounding the deaths of their relatives.
“No body or evidence should be concealed, destroyed, disposed of or otherwise interfered with,” Sanusi said.
He further called for anyone suspected of responsibility for unlawful killings or other human rights violations to be investigated and, where sufficient admissible evidence exists, prosecuted in fair proceedings.
“The families of those who died or disappeared have a right to know what happened to their loved ones,” he said.
“The authorities must act urgently to establish the truth, preserve evidence and ensure justice and accountability.”
The rights organisation’s demand comes amid longstanding concerns over allegations of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations during security operations in parts of Imo State, where security agencies have conducted operations against armed groups and other criminal networks.
Amnesty International said the reported movement of the bodies made an urgent, independent investigation necessary to determine their identities, causes of death and the circumstances in which they ended up in the mortuaries.
It stressed that the preservation of physical and documentary evidence would be critical to establishing the truth and ensuring that victims and their families receive justice.