Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has approved funds to facilitate the release of corpses abandoned at the mortuary of the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre.

The initiative is aimed at helping families retrieve the remains of their relatives who have been left at the facility due to unpaid mortuary bills.

According to reports, many families have been unable to claim the bodies of loved ones from the hospital because of outstanding debts linked to mortuary services.

The situation has resulted in several corpses remaining unclaimed for extended periods at the Enugu-based medical facility.

Nnaji approved the release of funds to cover the costs required for the immediate release of the abandoned corpses. The initiative began on March 3, 2026, and is expected to continue until March 20, 2026.

The former minister said the effort was also undertaken in honour of his late mother, whose remains are currently at the facility.

He noted that the support would ease the financial burden faced by many families who cannot afford the fees required to release the bodies of their relatives.

He encouraged families with relatives at the mortuary to visit the facility for verification and take advantage of the arrangement.

According to him, those seeking assistance should contact the mortuary attendants at the hospital for the necessary confirmation and release procedures.

Residents and observers in Enugu State have commended the gesture, describing it as a humanitarian effort that could help several struggling families bring closure to burial arrangements for their loved ones.

The initiative is expected to reduce the number of unclaimed bodies at the medical centre and assist families who have been unable to retrieve their relatives due to financial constraints.