Wonders, they say, shall never end, as two teenagers left Lagos for Abeokuta in Ogun State to sell their organs for N200,000 without the consent of their parents.
It was gathered that the two teenagers, 17-year-old Precious Ikechukwu, daughter of the Bishop and Founder of Living Word Anointed Gospel Mission, located at Iyana-Ipaja in Lagos, Ikechukwu Umeayo and her father’s Secretary, 19-year-old, Theresa Obam, allegedly connived with a member of the church, Mrs Adeleke Blessing, who took them to a medical doctor at Redwood Specialist Hospital, Abeokuta, where their organs were sold for N100,000 each, two months ago.
It was gathered that Mrs Adeleke was staying with her mother-in-law in the compound where the church is situated and often attends the church’s vigil.
The secret they concealed was blown open on September 12, 2022, when Precious, the Bishop’s daughter, started vomiting. She was taken to hospital by her father, Ikechukwu Umeayo, who thought it was typhoid or malaria.
The doctor requested for medical test, which later revealed that her anus and private part were damaged.
It was gathered that the sick girl disclosed to her father that a female member of his church, Mrs Adeleke, trafficked her and Theresa to Abeokuta, where their organs were sold to a medical doctor.
The teenagers further alleged that Mrs Adeleke convinced them to carry out the illegal act because her father is not paying them enough money and that she will take them to where they will be handsomely paid N100,000.
They also alleged that Mrs Adeleke warned them not to tell their parents, saying that if they did, she will kill them.
How transplant was carried out
Speaking on how the transplant was carried out, the teenagers said Mrs. Adeleke Blessing, also known as Mummy K, without the consent of their parents, trafficked them to Redwood Hospital in Abeokuta, Ogun State and conspired with the doctor identified as Dr. Durodola who injected some drugs into them.
They alleged that they were forcefully taken to a PDF Hospital in Surulere, Lagos where they were also coerced.
In the process, their ovaries/eggs/organs were harvested illegally by the medical doctor without their consent, resulting in severe pains and bleeding.
Based on the revelations, the ladies were taken to another hospital in Surulere, Lagos, where they were referred to a medical laboratory for test and scan.
The result revealed that their liver, uterus, urinary bladder, kidney, spleen, gall bladder were damaged as result of their ovaries/eggs, about (46 ovaries) that were harvested in the hospital at Abeokuta.
How father detected
Bishop Umeayo, who is the father of one of the teenagers, said when his daughter, Precious, was taken to the hospital and the test was conducted, her younger ones told him that they knew their sister was sick as she frequented the toilet with medical equipment and came out dripping blood.
It was further gathered that Favour, who stayed with Bishop Ikechukwu, was employed as his Secretary in the church with a salary of N20,000.
His daughter, Precious, who is a hairstylist, makes Mrs Adeleke’s hair and gets paid.
Bishop Umeayo, who was irked by the ugly development, reported the case at Iyana-Ipaja Police station.
The Police later transferred the case to the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, SCIID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, for further investigation.
Foul play
Vanguard further gathered that the case took a new dimension when lawyer to Bishop Umeayo, Ikechukwu Chiaha, suspected foul play on the part of the police, whom he suspected may have compromised over the case, based on revelation by his client that the investigators were soliciting for amicable settlement and payment of N300,000, from which he alleged the police will take N200,000.
Based on this, it was gathered that Chiaha then transferred the case to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, which has commenced fresh investigation.
The girls volunteered—Adeleke
In her defence, the alleged suspect, Mrs Adeleke, said: “The two girls volunteered to donate their eggs to the hospital after listening to her phone conversation with a doctor and, in return, they were compensated with N100,000 each.”
She added that Favour gave her N20,000 for introducing them to the hospital.”
They donated their eggs voluntarily ——Redwood Clinics
Reacting to the allegation of damaging the teenagers’ organs, the management of Redwood Clinics, Abeokuta, Ogun State, absolved themselves of any wrong doing.
The management of the clinic, in a statement, said the two ladies were adults, stressing that they donated their eggs voluntarily.
The statement titled: Organ Harvesting story: Our Statement- Redwood Clinics Abeokuta, reads: “The two ladies in question, whose names we shall not disclose in the interest of patient confidentiality, came to the hospital for voluntary egg donation.
“Egg donation is an integral part of in-vitro fertilisation aimed at helping women with low egg reserve to achieve pregnancy through assisted reproductive technology.
“Egg donor programmes include self-adminisitration of drugs by the participating donor. Eggs are microscopic and aspiration of eggs is through a tiny needle, not in any way an organ harvest. Eggs in the human body are similarly lost at menstrual cycles, which is what egg donor cycles partially mirror.
“F.O. came to the clinic with B.A. who had participated in egg donation programme in the past, and was introduced as her cousin. F.O. expressed her desire to participate in the scheme and she later introduced P.I. who she claimed was her friend as a prospective donor. Each of them was given a registration and data form to fill where they wrote down their relevant biodata, including date of birth and age. From the information, both of them were well above 18 years.
“They were asked questions to ascertain that they qualified and were fit for the scheme and were further counselled on the treatment protocol. They reaffirmed their willingness to participate.
“They were then physically examined, following which laboratory investigations were ordered.
“It took six weeks, from the day of registration to the day of egg collection at PF Clinic in Surulere, Lagos, during which period they were injecting themselves at home with the prescribed medication for the purpose.
“During this period, they made a number of scheduled visits to our hospital. F.O. had no complaints whatsoever after her egg collection in Lagos while P.I. had complaints of abdominal discomfort and mild lower abdominal pain for which she came to our hospital three days after egg collection.
“Her father followed her to the hospital and claimed that he did not know that the daughter had egg donation and that when the pain started, they had taken her to another hospital in their neighbourhood where she was suspected to have appendicitis and planned for surgery.
“It was then that his daughter told him that she had egg donation and that she was told she might develop lower abdominal discomfort or pain.
“This made the father bring her to our hospital. We told them that the symptoms were not an unusual effect of the procedure, and they were reassured that she was not going to come to any harm.
“She was treated with painkillers and intravenous fluids and was discharged home the following day in good health.
“To the best of our knowledge, she has not had any complaints since then and both ladies have remained in good health.
“However, about two weeks after P.I’s discharge, we were informed that the father lodged a complaint at Meiran Police Station, claiming that his underaged daughter and Secretary were involved in organ harvesting, and he was demanding a sum of two hundred million naira as damages.
“The case was investigated by the police and we were found not to have committed any offence. In his instance, the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti in Lagos and the findings were the same.
“It is pertinent to mention that from our records, the ladies were adults, and they have come to no harm as a result of any medical intervention in our care.
“We state for the records that no organ in their bodies is missing or damaged. Redwood Clinics Abeokuta is a responsible organisation that will not commit any act of illegality in its dealings with the public.
“We hold highly the ethics of medical practice and will continue to deliver health care to the best of our abilities.”
They’re not organ harvesters—Police
Speaking on the matter, Lagos State Police spokesman, David Hundeyin, said: “It was not organ harvesters, the operation was carried out by a professional doctor and the process was legal.
“All documents were signed and the girls stated in the document that they were above 18 years.
“The doctor told them about the consequences of feeling pain for two days, and they accepted and donated their organs.
“Unfortunately, they did not inform their father about it and the father is requesting N200 million as compensation.”
We’re not aware—NAPTIP official
In their reaction, an official of NAPTIP, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “I am not aware of the case. I will ask our people.”
