Family Debunks Claims of Organ Harvesting in Iniubong Umoren’s Murder Case
Uyo, Nigeria – The family of late Iniubong Umoren has strongly denied allegations that the 26-year-old philosophy graduate was a victim of organ harvesting, dismissing recent claims by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as false and damaging.
Iniubong Umoren was murdered in April 2021 under the pretext of a job interview in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. Her attacker, UduakAbasi Frank Akpan, was later convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to death by an Akwa Ibom High Court in August 2022.
Speaking at a press conference in Uyo, the victim’s eldest sister, Ifiok Ephraim Umoren, said she was “deeply disturbed” by allegations circulating online, accusing Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of involvement in the harvesting of Iniubong’s organs to allegedly save his ailing wife.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made the claims during a video conversation with a US-based activist, Dr Sandra C. Duru. The conversation has since gone viral, prompting outrage and disbelief from the Umoren family.
“My sister’s organs were never removed,” Ifiok said firmly. “I was present at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital during the autopsy. All her internal organs were intact. These accusations are not only unfounded but cruel to our family and the memory of my sister.”
Flanked by Akwa Ibom’s Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Friday Johnson Itim, and Mr Samuel Abdullah, State Coordinator of the Legal Aid Council who served as defense counsel for the convicted killer, Ifiok recounted the events leading up to Iniubong’s disappearance.
“She had informed me about the job interview before heading out. When I didn’t hear from her, I traced the number she had shared and posted alerts on social media. The police later found her body and confirmed the suspect had buried her in a shallow grave,” she said.
Mr Itim, the DPP, confirmed that UduakAbasi acted alone and that the crime stemmed from an altercation after Iniubong refused to engage in unprotected sex. “He hit her with a stabiliser, buried her alone, and fled. The claim that anyone else, let alone a high-ranking official like Senator Akpabio, was involved is baseless,” he said.
He added that the suspect was apprehended after being lured back home, and that at no point during the investigation or court proceedings was there any mention of organ harvesting.
Also speaking at the briefing, Mr Abdullah said: “The case was tried publicly. Both prosecution and defence never suggested anything related to organ removal. The autopsy report is on public record and confirms all organs were present.”
The pathologist who conducted the post-mortem, Dr Emeka Nwafor, testified in court that although the body was already decomposing, there was no evidence of organ removal. His findings indicated traumatic injury but no surgical or unnatural organ loss.
The family, supported by legal representatives, has called on relevant authorities to investigate and take legal action against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for allegedly spreading false information that could incite public unrest and further traumatize the grieving family.
“We will explore legal options,” Ifiok said. “This isn’t just about our family. It’s about protecting the truth and preventing reckless statements from undermining justice and causing unnecessary pain.”
