Ifiok Umoren, the elder sister of the late Iniubong Umoren,
has refuted claims that the deceased organs were harvested following her murder
in April 2021.
Ifiok spoke on Saturday at a press conference held in Uyo,
the capital of Akwa Ibom, in response to recent claims by Natasha
Akpoti-Uduaghan, suspended senator representing Kogi central, that Senate
President Godswill Akpabio was involved in harvesting Iniubong’s organ to save
his wife.
Sandra Duru, a United Kingdom (UK)-based activist, popularly
known as Professor Mgbeke, had alleged that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan offered her
N200 million to falsely accuse Akpabio of organ harvesting.
The activist made the claim during a live Facebook session
and said there are recordings where the suspended senator admitted having no
evidence against the senate president.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has since denied the allegation, dismissing
the live stream content as “untrue and manipulated”.
INIUBONG’S DEATH
In 2021, 26-year-old Iniubong, a female job seeker, went missing after meeting a Twitter user for a job opportunity in Akwa Ibom.
Uduak Umoh, a friend of Iniubong, announced her death after
raising concerns about her disappearance.
Subsequently, the police operatives in Akwa Ibom arrested
Uduak Akpan, a suspect, who allegedly confessed to sexually and physically
assaulting the late Iniubong and burying her body in a shallow grave at his
father’s house.
Akpan was convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to
death by the Akwa Ibom high court on August 4, 2022.
‘UMOREN NOT A VICTIM OF ORGAN HARVESTING’
Speaking at the press conference, the deceased’s sister said
no body part was missing from autopsy to burial.
Flanked by Friday Johnson Itim, Akwa Ibom’s director of
public prosecution, and Samuel Abdullah of the Legal Aid Council, Ifiok said
the claim was a distortion of truth.
Ifiok described the allegation as “outrageous” and “deeply
hurtful”, adding that she personally witnessed the autopsy, during which the
internal organs were confirmed intact.
“How can someone claim that my sister’s organs were
harvested when I was right there during the autopsy?” she asked.
“This accusation is not only false but also dishonours the
memory of my sister and retraumatises our family.”
Ifiok recalled how Iniubong informed her of a job interview
before she went missing and how she helped in tracing the suspect and alerting
security agencies.
“After her death, the police took the body for autopsy at
the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital,” she said.
“I was present. No organ was missing.”
Backing her position, Itim said the crime was committed
solely by Akpan, who attacked Iniubong after she refused unprotected sex.
“He killed her in anger, buried her in a shallow grave and
fled,” he said.
“His arrest was made possible through help from his family
and the local council chairman.”
Also, Abdullah said the allegation of organ trafficking did
not come up at any point during court proceedings.
“Neither the prosecution nor defence ever mentioned Senator
Akpabio,” he said.
“The autopsy report is available to the public and shows
that all organs were intact.”
He added that the claim lacked legal and evidential support.
Emeka Nwafor, the pathologist who conducted the autopsy,
testified under oath in 2021 that though the corpse showed signs of trauma and
decomposition, there was no indication of organ removal.
Family members and legal representatives are now weighing
options to seek redress against Akpoti-Uduaghan over what they called a
“defamatory and destabilising” claim.
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