By SOLA OGUNDIPE & CHIOMA OBINNA
IKEJA—Indications emerged, yesterday, that the scheduled daily release of the 132 identified bodies of victims of the Dana air crash may not go as planned at the Lekan Ogunshola Mortuary, even as management of TOS Funerals denied involvement in the brutalization of a photo-journalist last week.
It was learnt that because of the hitches, the daily schedule of the release of bodies had not been followed even as complaints were making the rounds of victims' relatives being denied access to the bodies following what mortuary officials described as inadequate completion of collection forms.
According to the original schedule, issued last week, the last batch of the release of the bodies that ought to have been done yesterday could not be achieved.
Among those denied access were military personnel who went to claim two bodies.
A military official, who spoke anonymously, noted that the hospital authorities had released one of the two bodies they came to collect, but withheld one.
Problem with forms
According to him, the collection forms were not properly filled.
He said: "We have asked to effect the necessary requirements on the form and come back with it to collect the body."
The soldier said they had planned to collect the two bodies yesterday to deposit them at the Yaba Military Hospital morgue pending burial.
Other families who were faced with the issue of inadequate completion of collection forms were also turned back with the mandate to fill in all necessary requirements and come back for their victims' corpses.
A crowd gathered at the morgue, yesterday, and at the end of the day, six out of the 20 bodies earmarked for collection were claimed.
A source at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, said the victims' relatives were briefed on the collection processes and how to complete the forms.
The release of bodies to the families has been made a private affair as security on the premises has also been beefed up since the brutalisation of the photo-journalist and access to information restricted.
Several relatives also resorted to quietly collecting the bodies in private SUVs with their seats collapsed to avoid attention.
A mortuary source said that the bodies were released in bags which can be taken away with or without coffins.
Management of TOS Funerals, the morgue housing bodies of the victims of the Dana plane crash, yesterday, denied involvement of its staff in the assault on a photo-journalist with the Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Benedict Uwalaka.
The company's legal adviser, Carew Kunle, who spoke to journalists on the premises of the mortuary, said Uwalaka's attackers were not in the employ of the morgue.
Vanguard Nigeria
i do not think they should delay this any longer.we have waited long enough so i believe it should be out now.