Death certificates for sale in Lagos hospitals – Report

A new investigation from the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) has revealed the corruption in some Lagos hospitals.

According to the report, death certificates were obtained for non-existent persons with bribes of N10,000. “When the due process for issuing certificates such as this is not observed, it opens the window for criminal-minded Nigerians to perpetrate crimes and escape the wrath of the law if such is not detected,” the report said.

The corruption surrounding the issuance of death certificates has also infiltrated the National Population Commission (NPC). According to the report, the NPC website lists specific requirements for obtaining a death certificate, including the mandatory submission of the informant’s National Identification Number (NIN).

However, at the Amuwo Odofin LGA office, NPC staff bypassed this requirement, issuing a death certificate simply by glancing at a photo of the medical certificate on the informant's phone.

This was not the only irregularity …