Hundreds of mutilated bodies found in suspected Nigerian organ-harvesting ring

An extensive organ-harvesting ring has been uncovered in Nigeria after weeks of covert surveillance, local officials have said.

In a statement shared on X, the Imo State Police Command said their investigation was launched after reports of a worrying spate of kidnappings near a hotel and mortuary in Ngor Okpala.

According to police, intelligence-led investigations went on to identify a man called High Chief Stanley Oparaugo, also known as "Morocco," as the suspected leader of the criminal network and who is now on the run and wanted, per reports.

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Oparaugo is alleged to own Jessy Best Hotel in Ihitte Okwe and the nearby mortuary known as Ugwudi.

Police said victims were said to have been lured into the hotel before being robbed and abducted, with families also forced to pay ransom. 

Authorities said some people who paid never saw their loved ones again.

The Command said abducted victims were then taken from the hotel to the mortuary, where they were allegedly killed and their organs harvested for sale.

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When officers raided the Jessy Best Hotel, it was abandoned, but at the mortuary they found decomposed and mutilated corpses.

Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said more than 100 bodies had been found.

"A hotel and a private mortuary owned by the suspect, allegedly used by kidnappers and violent criminals, were inspected," he said in a statement.

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"At the mortuary, decomposed and mutilated corpses were discovered in unhygienic conditions, raising suspicions of illegal organ-harvesting activities."

He added that the suspect’s residence was also searched and "crucial exhibits" were recovered, with forensic teams documenting evidence for the ongoing investigation.

"Maximum security has been deployed along the Owerri–Aba Expressway. The Command assures travelers during the holidays of its commitment to their safety," he added.

Nigeria has seen a rising amount of crime with kidnappings and abductions. 

As reported by Fox News Digital, the government of Nigeria also secured the release of the 100 schoolchildren who were abducted, according to local media.

Those children were taken from St. Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, on Nov. 21. 

The news came as Christians face ongoing persecution in Nigeria, leading President Donald Trump to declare the West African nation a "country of particular concern."