The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to owners and relatives of unclaimed corpses in its mortuary to recover the bodies or risk mass burial.
In a public notice dated September 30, 2026, and sighted by LEADERSHIP in Calabar on Wednesday, the hospital said all corpses that remained unclaimed after October 21, 2026, would be evacuated for mass burial without further notice.
The management said the decision became necessary because several corpses had remained in the mortuary beyond the statutory 90-day period from the date of deposition without being claimed by their relatives or depositors.
According to the hospital, the prolonged stay of the bodies had resulted in congestion within the mortuary and placed considerable pressure on available space and facilities.
It said the situation was affecting efficient service delivery and necessitated the planned evacuation.
The management acknowledged the sensitive and emotional nature of the exercise, saying it sympathised with families and loved ones who might be affected.
It, however, stressed that the exercise was necessary to ensure proper mortuary management and maintain required standards of care.
The hospital therefore urged all affected depositors and families to come forward within the 21-day window and make arrangements to recover the corpses.
UCTH warned that “all unclaimed corpses after 21st October, 2026, shall be evacuated for mass burial without further notice.”
