A Delta State High Court has ordered substituted service on respondents in a fundamental rights suit involving a missing corpse.
The suit, filed by human rights activist Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, alleges the disappearance of the corpse of the late Joseph Ighorhiohwunu from the Nigerian Navy Hospital mortuary in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area.
Counsel to the Applicant, Rukevwe Ogbodu Esq via the Motion Exparte prayed the court for an order directing the bailiff to serve the Originating process and all subsequent processes in the suit on the 3rd, 4th, 5th 6th, 7th and 8th Respondents through substituted service by delivery to Mr Police Umurukre (an adult inmate and a family relative) at the usual or last known place of abode/Family house of the 3rd, 4th, 5th 6th, 7th and 8th Respondents specifically No. 127 Urhu-Egbe Street, Opposite First Baptist Church Okpara-Inland, Ethiope East LGA of Delta State.
During the hearing of the matter, the 1st, 2nd, 9th and 10th Respondents were avoidably absent despite being served with the process by the bailiff of the court while the 11th Respondent’s counsel (Group Christian Medical Hospital Effurun) who was present claimed not to be served with the court process, but his claim was countered by the bailiff and with the proof of service in the court file.
He was subsequently overruled by the court, raising concern about how he became aware of the matter and being present in court.
However, in delivering a ruling on the Exparte Application, the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Aforkeya Obomejero, granted the relief sought, affirming that the court can exercise jurisdiction only if all the parties are present in court.
The 1st-11th respondents in the suit are: Mr. Michael Igho-Amaka, Mr. Onajite Ighorhiohwunu, Mr. Felix Ighorhiohwunu, Mrs. Ese Ighorhiohwunu, Mr. Duke Ighorhiohwunu, Mr. Onoriode Ighorhiohwunu, Mr. Sunday Ighorhiohwunu, Mrs. Asaerhiwha Young, The Chairman, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Nigeria Navy Hospital Effurun and Group Christian Medical Centre Effurun.
Recall the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, has launched an investigation into the alleged disappearance of the corpse of a 78-year-old man, the late Joseph Ighorhiohwunu, from the mortuary of the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Effurun, Delta State.
It was gathered that this followed a petition from the family of the deceased, led by a human rights activist, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, to the Chief of Naval Staff, dated 27th February 2025 requesting an urgent investigation into the matter.
It was further gathered that the petition was duly acknowledged by the office of the Chief of Naval Staff on February 27, 2025.
The petition, which was sighted by our correspondent, partly reads, “We write to bring to your attention a disturbing incident involving the disappearance of a corpse from the Nigerian Navy Hospital mortuary in Effurun, Delta State.”
