₦airaland Forum

Nigerian student shocked to see friend's body in anatomy class

1 hour ago

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Enya Egbe (pictured) is still coming to terms with the loss of his friend

In our series of letters from African writers, Nigerian journalist and novelist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani writes about the disturbing reality behind some of the "unclaimed" bodies sent to the country's medical schools.

Medical student Enya Egbe fled his anatomy class crying after being disturbed by the corpse he was asked to work on.

This was not the squeamish response of a naïve young man.

The 26-year-old still vividly recalls that Thursday afternoon seven years ago at Nigeria's University of Calabar, converging with fellow students around three tables with a cadaver laid out on each.

Minutes later, he screamed and ran.

The body his group had been about to dissect was that of Divine, his friend of more than seven years.

"We used to go clubbing together," he told me. "There were two bullet holes on the right side of his chest."

Oyifo Ana was one of the many students who ran out after Mr Egbe and found him weeping outside.

"Most of the cadavers we used in school had bullets in them. I felt so bad when I realised that some of the people may not be real criminals," Ms Ana said.

She added that early one morning she had seen a police van loaded with bloodied bodies at their medical school, which had a mortuary attached to it.

Mr Egbe sent a message to Divine's family who, it turned out, had been going to different police stations in search of their relative after he and three friends were arrested by security agents on their way back from a night out.

The family eventually managed to reclaim his body.

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Nigerians last year staged massive protests to condemn police brutality

Mr Egbe's shocking discovery highlighted both the lack of corpses available in Nigeria for medical students and what can happen to victims of police violence.

Between the 16th and 19th Centuries, different laws in the UK granted the bodies of executed criminals to medical schools - a punishment that also advanced the cause of science.

In Nigeria, a current law hands "unclaimed bodies" in government mortuaries to medical schools. The state can also appropriate bodies of executed criminals, though the last execution took place in 2007.

More than 90% of the cadavers used in Nigerian medical schools are "criminals killed by shooting", according to 2011 research in the medical journal Clinical Anatomy.

In reality, this means they were suspects shot dead by security forces. Their estimated ages are between 20 and 40 years, 95% are male, and three out of four are from the lower socio-economic class. There are zero body donations.

"Nothing has changed 10 years later," said Emeka Anyanwu, a professor of anatomy at the University of Nigeria, who co-authored the study.

'Ambulance duty'

Last year, the Nigerian government set up judicial panels of inquiry in different states to investigate allegations of police brutality.

This was in response to the #EndSars protests sparked by the viral video of yet another young man allegedly shot dead by the police's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) in the southern state of Delta.

Many of those testifying before the panels have spoken of relatives arrested by security agents and never seen again.

The police have in most cases defended themselves by saying that those missing were armed robbers killed in an exchange of gunfire, while police spokesman Frank Mba told me he was not aware of any case where the police had dumped bodies with anatomy labs or mortuaries.

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In written testimony presented to the judicial panel in Enugu state, 36-year-old trader Cheta Nnamani said he had assisted security agents to get rid of the bodies of those they had tortured or executed during his four months in the custody of Sars in 2009.

He said that one night, he was asked to load three corpses into a van, a task known in detention parlance as "ambulance duty".

The police then chained him inside and drove to the nearby University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), where Mr Nnamani offloaded the bodies. They were taken away by a mortuary attendant.

Mr Nnamani told me that he was later threatened with the same fate.

In the south-eastern town of Owerri, the privately-owned Aladinma Hospital Mortuary stopped accepting bodies of alleged criminals because the police rarely provided identification or notified relatives of the deceased.

This used to leave the mortuary stuck with the maintenance costs of the unclaimed bodies until every few years the government eventually granted permission for mass burials.

"Sometimes, the police try to strong-arm us into accepting bodies but we insist that they take them to a government hospital," said Ugonna Amamasi, the administrator of the mortuary

"Private mortuaries are not authorised to donate bodies to medical schools but government mortuaries can," he added.

A senior lawyer, Fred Onuobia, said relatives were entitled to collect the bodies of lawfully executed criminals.

"If no-one shows up after a certain length of time, the bodies are sent to teaching hospitals," the advocate said.

But the situation is worse with extrajudicial killings, as relatives never get to know about the deaths or are unable to locate the bodies, he said.

[img]http://c.files.bbci.co.uk/assets/f990957d-5723-4663-a6ff-2c1f83b69463[/img]

Divine's family managed to get some of the officers involved in his killing sacked"

- Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
Nigerian novelist

It was only by chance after all that the family of Mr Egbe's friend, Divine, was able to give him a proper burial.

Nigeria's association of anatomists is now lobbying for a change in the law that will ensure mortuaries obtain full historical records of bodies donated to schools, and also family consent.

It will also set out ways to encourage people to donate their bodies to medical science.

"There will be a lot of education and a lot of advocacy so people can see that if I donate my body, it will be for the good of the society," said the association's head, Olugbenga Ayannuga.

As for Mr Egbe, he was so traumatised by seeing his friend's body that he abandoned his studies for weeks, imagining Divine standing by the door each time he tried to enter the anatomy room.

He ended up graduating a year after his classmates, and now works in a hospital lab in Delta state.

Divine's family managed to get some of the officers involved in his killing sacked - scant justice but still more than that experienced by many other Nigerians whose loved ones were the victims of police violence and may also have ended up in medical schools around the country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57748122


Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (Nigerian novelist)

Lazy me, na scam if i tel u say i read am reach d end

The 26-year-old still vividly recalls that Thursday afternoon seven years ago at Nigeria's University of Calabar.

Most of the cadavers we used in school had bullets in them. I felt so bad when I realised that some of the people may not be real criminals," Ms Ana said.
She added that early one morning she had seen a police van loaded with bloodied bodies at their medical school, which had a mortuary attached to it.

Unbelievable and Despicable act by the evil ones among the Police
This is synonymous with the evil, the most wicked and devilish police officer in the history of Africa committed in this nation just few years ago.

Children of hate, frustrations and perdition,
Have you ever heard the name James Nwafor in the history of this nation?

The man who along with his fellow devils killed over 100 Anambra youths, sold their parts to ritualists (as the victims families alleged) and also fed multipleof them to the fishes to cover up his crime (pictures of that abound everywhere online!)
Is it that their lives do not matter, that is why you are not talking about it as we sane and Responsible igbos and Nigerians do.

What have you said about that Massacre?!
Bunch of shameless hypocrites.

Reading the link below will bring tears to your eyes if you have blood flowing in your veins.

https://hallmarknews.com/chilling-tales-of-sars-brutality-the-awkuzu-abattoir/

Excerpts.....

I was tied, my hands and my legs at the back together, and I was being tortured. They just wanted me to say, Yes, I did it. Of course, I didn’t do anything, I was just 17 at that time, and I was not ready to say I did it. But the torture was too much, I couldn’t stand anymore. I had to agree that yes, I did it. Because that was the only way they said they would stop torturing me.

“The social action team came in; I had been in prison for three years, because my case was dumped in a court that was not sitting. So, they helped me to pick it up and transfer it to a court that was sitting. And they were paying my lawyer to hasten up the case. That was how I was discharged and acquitted.”

Esther’s account is one of many, and the bulk of such happened in Anambra, particularly in Awkuzu, where activists say, is the ground zero of SARS brutality in the country.

Hammyaladin:
Manna, even though I don't like how you sometimes support our darling president,
But, I can't help but ask why people are MUM to this photo you shared?!

Are the people worthless or what?! Why aren't they talking about these dead bodies??!

First of all, we aren't the ones that shared the pictures,
The thread of Nwafor's atrocities is on many threads on Nairaland here,
The pictures you see here are from Nairaland (as you can see) and it is everywhere online also.
Your guess is as good as ours.
That is what hypocrisy and politics of hatred and wickedness can do to people's brain.
That is the kinda country you find yourself.
Since he is our brother, and one of our own,
let us leave him alone mentality is one of the evil vices that has taken this country 100 years back.
But let us go to other states and complain, protest and burn down their properties for 1/10th of what happened in Anambra!!
Wickedness even to our dead brothers and children in Anambra, all because of politics.

RRodwave:
That Man no deserve to live I swear,
But come to think of it Since Endsars Them talk say the Man Ran away does it mean say the Govt no fit catch him?

He deserves more than just death.
Guess the evil politicians he served under are the ones protecting him.

RRodwave:
I believe say he no go go scott free

It's all a matter of time.
Him and his family, everyone shielding him will all reap the fruit of his evil and every person trying to hide and protect him.

Btruth:
he is evil

If there is an adjective to use instead of evil, it would have been so apt.
James Nwafor is more than evil.

No be curse,
Na FACT!

Iniobong34:
Lazy me, na scam if i tel u say i read am reach d end

Don't be a Lazy Nigerian Youth Ini,
Something valuable is waiting to be learnt by you from this thread.
Take just 2 minutes out to read it please.

Clement01234:
God saves Nigeria and we must act fast on this. We really need a youth in realm of affair that has listening ear and can take a bold decision at right time. This really makes me crying seeing vibrant youth been killed like a chicken without any course. Let us come together to make that change that we want. Let us designed this country to the taste of the coming generation. We can do it, I believe we can do it. Phamerd.

This is what we stand for @[/b].
Nigeria youths, your future is in your hands.
Our population is supposed to be our strength, like what is happening in China and some other countries, but in Nigeria, the reverse is the case, our population turns out to be our undoing, cos some politicians have brainwashed our youths since independence.
Anyways, oba ni kobaje ,
It is rather late than NEVER.
Again, Naija youths : [b]WAKE UP!


*************** ******************* b**************
James Nwafor, and all other evil policemen in our dear nation.
Evil, brutal and terrible deaths await you all.
Yall will never escape the consequences of your evil acts in this nation.

See what the devil incarnate was doing to people's children below,
And non of the hypocritical swines ever said anything against it.
Na dere una dey so.
Politics of hatred and bitterness will waste your future away las las,
If you refused to use your brain and say no to all manner of evil like dem MANNA do always.

Chronicles of James Nwafor and SARS volume 2.0. They probably couldn't settle the policemen and were killed as a result of it.

[quote author= post=104333865]Don't be. Lazy Nigeria Youth. Something is waiting to be learnt by you from this thread. Take just 2 minutes out to read it please.[/quote]This is definitely not a 2-minute read.

Wow

[quote author= post=104333865]Don't be. Lazy Nigeria Youth. Something is waiting to be learnt by you from this thread. Take just 2 minutes out to read it please.[/quote]ok chairman i wil try

This is crazy but anyway, i am not suprised because in Nigeria, anything can happen.

Wow,... just wow ,... this country is fvcking messed up

This is a terrible experience.....




Lots of stories coming out from the panel sitting on Endsars and police brutality is very true...

Iniobong34:
ok chairman i wil try

Good one Chairman.
Readers are Leaders you know

Humanoid01:
This is definitely not a 2-minute read.

It all depends on who is reading sir!
Our way and style of reading, no be ur own way, you know?

[quote author= post=104334343]Good one Chairman.
Readers are Leaders you know


It all depends on who is reading sir!
Our way and style of reading, no be ur own way, you know?[/quote]Did you read that whole stuff within two minutes? If yes, then how?

Humanoid01:
Did you read that whole stuff within two minutes? If yes, then how?

Don't let us derail the thread.
Do concentrate on the topic.
This is not a Grammar or Study thread you know?
Let's respect the rules of this noble forum.
Comment on the Police brutality and evil this thread is talking about.
Stay blessed.
God save Nigeria.

[quote author= post=104334582]Don't let the thread be derailed. Do concentrate on the topic. This is not a Grammar or Study thread you know? Let's respect the rules of this noble forum. Comment on the brutality of the evil this thread is talking about. God save Nigeria.[/quote]Oh all right.

Enya Egbe must be severely traumatised. Putting myself in his position, it may be really hard for me to recover.

Life in Nigeria,is like living in the jungle, unaccounted killings of police brutality everyday

Jeez

Haba :
This was 7 years ago, and it is still happening today also.
This is wickedness of the highest order
Very wicked police we have

Police in this country is really messed up

[quote author= post=104333859]Unbelievable and Despicable act by the evil ones among the Police

Children of hate, frustrations and perdition,
Have you ever heard the name James Nwafor in the history of this nation?

The man who along with his fellow devils killed over 100 Anambra youths, sold their parts to ritualists (as the victims families alleged) and also fed multipleof them to the fishes to cover up his crime (pictures of that abound everywhere online!)
Is it that their lives do not matter, that is why you are not talking about it as we sane and Responsible igbos and Nigerians do.

What have you said about that Massacre?!
Bunch of shameless hypocrites.

Reading the link below will bring tears to your eyes if you have blood flowing in your veins.

https://hallmarknews.com/chilling-tales-of-sars-brutality-the-awkuzu-abattoir/

Excerpts.....

I was tied, my hands and my legs at the back together, and I was being tortured. They just wanted me to say, Yes, I did it. Of course, I didn’t do anything, I was just 17 at that time, and I was not ready to say I did it. But the torture was too much, I couldn’t stand anymore. I had to agree that yes, I did it. Because that was the only way they said they would stop torturing me.

“The social action team came in; I had been in prison for three years, because my case was dumped in a court that was not sitting. So, they helped me to pick it up and transfer it to a court that was sitting. And they were paying my lawyer to hasten up the case. That was how I was discharged and acquitted.”

Esther’s account is one of many, and the bulk of such happened in Anambra, particularly in Awkuzu, where activists say, is the ground zero of SARS brutality in the country.



Your guess is as good as ours.
That is what hypocrisy and politics of hatred and wickedness can do to people's brain.
That is the kinda country you find yourself.
Since he is our brother, and one of our own,
let us leave him alone mentality is one of the evil vices that has taken this country 100 years back.
But let us go to other states and complain, protest and burn down their properties for 1/10th of what happened in Anambra!!
Wickedness even to our dead brothers and children in Anambra, all because of politics.

He deserves more than just death.
Guess the evil politicians he served under are the ones protecting him.


It's all a matter of time.
Him and his family, everyone shielding him will all reap the fruit of his evil and every person trying to hide and protect him.

No be curse,
Na FACT![/quote].....he is evil. Only God can forgive him. I wondered how the children of people like him want to sail through the turbulence of this world without karma visiting them because of what their parents has done?

Too bad..

Norphiee:
Wow,... just wow ,... this country is fvcking messed up

It's beyond messed up. Nigeria is a violent jungle where government are wild predators and unarmed citizens are the prey they hunt to destroy. Everyday a citizen survives in this country is a miracle. Too much injustice, too much innocent blood being wasted, too much atrocities from the same government that's supposed to protect its citizens.

Mheen! Those years Obama was shouting "There're alot of human rights abuse going on Nigeria" This is just parts of it. International bodies knows what we don't know. Now, we are gradually knowing it.

just stop


[quote author= post=104333859]Unbelievable and Despicable act by the evil ones among the Police

Children of hate, frustrations and perdition,
Have you ever heard the name James Nwafor in the history of this nation?

The man who along with his fellow devils killed over 100 Anambra youths, sold their parts to ritualists (as the victims families alleged) and also fed multipleof them to the fishes to cover up his crime (pictures of that abound everywhere online!)
Is it that their lives do not matter, that is why you are not talking about it as we sane and Responsible igbos and Nigerians do.

What have you said about that Massacre?!
Bunch of shameless hypocrites.

Reading the link below will bring tears to your eyes if you have blood flowing in your veins.

https://hallmarknews.com/chilling-tales-of-sars-brutality-the-awkuzu-abattoir/

Excerpts.....

I was tied, my hands and my legs at the back together, and I was being tortured. They just wanted me to say, Yes, I did it. Of course, I didn’t do anything, I was just 17 at that time, and I was not ready to say I did it. But the torture was too much, I couldn’t stand anymore. I had to agree that yes, I did it. Because that was the only way they said they would stop torturing me.

“The social action team came in; I had been in prison for three years, because my case was dumped in a court that was not sitting. So, they helped me to pick it up and transfer it to a court that was sitting. And they were paying my lawyer to hasten up the case. That was how I was discharged and acquitted.”

Esther’s account is one of many, and the bulk of such happened in Anambra, particularly in Awkuzu, where activists say, is the ground zero of SARS brutality in the country.



Your guess is as good as ours.
That is what hypocrisy and politics of hatred and wickedness can do to people's brain.
That is the kinda country you find yourself.
Since he is our brother, and one of our own,
let us leave him alone mentality is one of the evil vices that has taken this country 100 years back.
But let us go to other states and complain, protest and burn down their properties for 1/10th of what happened in Anambra!!
Wickedness even to our dead brothers and children in Anambra, all because of politics.

He deserves more than just death.
Guess the evil politicians he served under are the ones protecting him.


It's all a matter of time.
Him and his family, everyone shielding him will all reap the fruit of his evil and every person trying to hide and protect him.


If there is an adjective to use instead of evil, it would have been so apt.
James Nwafor is more than evil.

No be curse,
Na FACT![/quote]

Sick and tired of so much injustice in this nation, like can't we just do what is right, why are these law enforcement agencies so rotten without consequences for their actions.

[quote author= post=104334582]Don't let the thread be derailed.
Do concentrate on the topic.
This is not a Grammar or Study thread you know?
Let's respect the rules of this noble forum.
Comment on the brutality of the evil this thread is talking about.
God save Nigeria.[/quote]The first time I'll see you being objective. I hope once in a while we'll see more of this from you!