UCTH to conduct mass burial of over 50 corpses abandoned for 10 years

The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Cross River State, has announced plans to conduct a mass burial of more than 50 unclaimed corpses, some reportedly abandoned for over 10 years.

The hospital fixed Wednesday, October 21, 2026, for the exercise, citing severe congestion in its mortuary.

According to Daily Post, Chairman of the Special Task Force on the Evacuation of Abandoned and Unclaimed Corpses, Dr David Ushie, confirmed the decision following unsuccessful efforts to locate relatives.

“The October 21 deadline remains firm. The hospital would not issue another notice before carrying out the mass burial”, he stressed.

Ushie urged families and individuals with bodies deposited at the facility to retrieve them before the deadline expires.

The hospital explained that the affected corpses had remained unclaimed beyond the statutory 90-day period.Speaking on behalf of Chief Medical Director Professor Ikpeme Ikpeme, Dr Stephen Ogbudu attributed the situation partly to expensive burial ceremonies and cultural practices imposing financial burdens on bereaved families.

He noted that some bodies had remained in the facility for more than a decade, creating significant pressure on mortuary operations.

Management said the planned evacuation would improve sanitation, create additional storage space and ensure a safer environment for clinical services.

The hospital had earlier issued a three-week notice allowing relatives to identify and collect the remains.

It maintained that all bodies remaining unclaimed after October 21 would be buried without further notification.

The management urged affected families to act promptly to prevent their relatives’ remains from being included.