The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has become engulfed in controversy following revelations of a widespread corruption network operating within its mortuary services, allegedly under the nose of Chief Medical Director, Professor Darlington Ewaen Obaseki.
An undercover investigation has revealed that staff members are soliciting illicit cash payments from bereaved families, bypassing official procedures designed to ensure transparency. Instead of paying the standard mortuary fees of N60,000 to N70,000 through the hospital’s accounts department — a process that should include a formal receipt — families are being coerced into handing over N40,000 in cash directly to mortuary personnel.
In a scheme reportedly orchestrated with the connivance of security operatives, payments are quietly pocketed without documentation, and corpses are released without proper verification. Observers report that within just two hours, over N400,000 exchanged hands illicitly — a staggering loss to the hospital’s revenue stream and a severe breach of public trust.
Alarmingly, the misappropriated funds have not only enriched those involved but have also financed the private purchase of ambulances. These vehicles are then used to levy additional charges on families, with transportation fees reaching N20,000 per journey.
A member of the public, speaking anonymously, described the practice as “rampant” not just at UBTH, but across numerous government hospitals, highlighting a culture of impunity that threatens the very foundations of Nigeria’s public health system.
The financial implications for UBTH are grave. Already stretched by the demands of patient care and facility maintenance, the hospital now faces a credibility crisis, with its internally generated revenue system undermined from within.
Pressure is mounting on Professor Obaseki and the hospital’s leadership to act decisively. Civil society groups and concerned citizens are calling for a thorough investigation, criminal prosecutions, and sweeping reforms to restore order and accountability.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get comments from the Public Relations Officer of the medical establishment proved abortive as calls made to his official mobile line did not go through. The network kept saying: “The number you have dialed is not available at the moment, please try again later.”
Whether UBTH can reclaim its reputation as a leading teaching hospital now depends on the willingness of its management to confront the rot and rebuild public confidence.
