There was panic on Monday at the mortuary of the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos, when the corpse of a man being prepared for burial suddenly grabbed his living brother’s hand.

The incident happened as the deceased, identified as Choji Zeng, was being dressed up by his brother in preparation for burial.

Following the development, family members who had participated in the washing of the corpse, as a result of panic, took to their heels as the saw the late Choji Zeng held on tightly to his younger brother, Gyang’s hand, a development that attracted mortuary attendants, who came in to separate the hands of the two brothers.

It was gathered that the two brothers had lived together at Ungwan Juma’a abattoir in Jos metropolis.

However, Choji Zeng, 35 years old, died after a brief illness arising from liver related disease.

His younger brother, Gyang Zeng while confirming the strange incident, said that after bathing his late brother, he was dressing him in white cloth when his corpse grabbed his hands.

Gyang said that following the development, he was left with no choice than to call the mortuary attendants for possible assistance, adding that the mortuary attendants later forced the hand of the dead Choji off his.

Gyang also explained that when his late brother held his hands, he had to ask him saying; “Choji, why did you hold my hand? Do you want me to join you or what?”

Mr. Benjamin Oche, a neighbour of the two brothers who witnessed the incident, said that before Choji’s death, the two brothers had a misunderstanding and quarreled over a piece of land they inherited from their parents.

It was however gathered that there was no foul play suspected in Choji Zeng’s death.
Speaking on the incident, one of the mortuary attendants said that it was not the first time such a strange thing would be happening in the mortuary.