The management of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Cross River State, has announced plans to conduct a mass burial for unclaimed corpses kept in its mortuary, with some of the remains reportedly preserved for more than 10 years.
The hospital has fixed October 21, 2026, as the deadline for relatives and individuals who deposited the bodies to come forward, identify the remains and complete the necessary procedures to recover them.
The proposed exercise is aimed at addressing the growing congestion in the hospital’s mortuary, where several corpses have remained unclaimed beyond the statutory 90-day period from the date of deposit.
Hospital Cites Mortuary Congestion
In a public notice issued on September 30, 2026, the hospital management explained that the prolonged retention of unclaimed corpses had placed considerable pressure on available mortuary space and facilities.
According to the management, the decision to evacuate the remains has become necessary to ensure effective mortuary management, maintain appropriate standards of care and improve service delivery.
The hospital acknowledged the sensitive nature of the exercise and expressed sympathy for families and loved ones who may be affected by the proposed mass burial.
Management, however, maintained that the evacuation had become necessary to address the challenges associated with the continued storage of unclaimed bodies.
Families Given Final Opportunity to Recover Bodies
The hospital has appealed to relatives, friends and individuals who deposited corpses at its mortuary to take advantage of the grace period to identify and retrieve the remains of their loved ones.
The deadline covers corpses that have remained in the facility beyond the stipulated 90-day period without being claimed by their relatives or depositors.
The hospital warned that any affected corpses still unclaimed after October 21, 2026, would be evacuated for mass burial without further notice.
Members of the public who suspect that the remains of their missing or deceased relatives may be among those kept at the facility have therefore been urged to contact the appropriate hospital authorities before the deadline.
High Burial Costs and Cultural Expectations
The prolonged retention of unclaimed corpses has also raised concerns about the financial and social difficulties that families may face when arranging burial ceremonies.
In Nigeria, burial expenses can include transportation, funeral services, ceremonies and other obligations imposed by family traditions and cultural expectations.
For some families, these financial responsibilities can make it difficult to organise a burial promptly, particularly when several relatives must contribute towards the expenses.
However, the circumstances surrounding each unclaimed corpse may differ, and the reasons why individual bodies have remained in the mortuary for extended periods have not been publicly established.
Task Force Established to Oversee Evacuation
As part of the preparations, the hospital established a special task force to coordinate the evacuation of abandoned and unclaimed corpses.
The committee is chaired by Dr David Ushie, who heads the hospital’s Department of Pathology. It includes representatives from relevant hospital departments responsible for legal matters, surveillance, corporate affairs, sanitation and service delivery.
The task force is expected to support the identification and recovery process before the deadline and coordinate the planned evacuation of bodies that remain unclaimed.
The hospital’s leadership has emphasised the need for cooperation from members of the public to ensure that the process is handled appropriately.
Public Urged to Act Before October 21
The planned mass burial has placed renewed attention on the importance of identifying deceased persons and ensuring that families have an opportunity to recover their loved ones’ remains.
Individuals who previously deposited bodies at UCTH are advised to contact the hospital promptly, provide the relevant documentation and follow the procedures required for identification and collection.
Families who have been searching for missing relatives may also wish to make enquiries with the hospital’s appropriate departments.
The hospital has made it clear that the October 21 deadline will be enforced, with unclaimed corpses scheduled for evacuation and mass burial after the deadline.
Conclusion
The planned mass burial at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital highlights the operational challenges associated with retaining unclaimed corpses for extended periods.
While the hospital says the exercise is necessary to decongest its mortuary and improve service delivery, the development also underscores the emotional and financial difficulties that can confront families following the death of a loved one.
With October 21, 2026, set as the final deadline, affected families and individuals have been urged to take immediate action to identify and recover the remains of their relatives before the hospital proceeds with the planned mass burial.