Federal Government on Wednesday arraigned a 54-year-old Abuja-based medical practitioner and Living Faith Church pastor, Dr John Abebe, alongside his Joje Abebe Hospital Limited, before an FCT High Court in Jabi on charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy, unlawful disclosure of confidential medical records, and the alleged sale of a couple’s embryos.
Dr Abebe, a Chief Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, faces accusations of gravely violating medical ethics and criminal law in a case that has stunned Nigeria’s fertility treatment sector.
Prosecutors alleged that between January and May 2025, Abebe defrauded Mrs Mary Manga and her husband of N19 million by falsely presenting himself as an IVF specialist, collecting funds for treatment which he converted to personal use—in breach of Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
The doctor further faces charges for unlawfully releasing the couple’s confidential medical records to the public without consent, contravening Section 29 of the National Health Act 2014.
Most shockingly, investigators claim Abebe sold the couple’s fully developed embryos to other patients, an allegation that—if proven—would represent one of the most egregious fertility scandals in Nigerian medical history, raising profound ethical, legal, and emotional concerns for IVF patients nationwide.
When the three-count charge sheet was read, Dr Abebe and his hospital pleaded not guilty before Justice A. A. Fashola.
Defence counsel Marvin Omorogbe moved a bail application, unopposed by prosecution counsel Joseph Wada.
Justice Fashola granted bail at N5 million with a professional surety of like sum employed by a verifiable organisation, and adjourned the matter to April 2, 2026, for trial commencement.
The case spotlights growing regulatory scrutiny of Nigeria’s booming IVF industry, valued at billions yet plagued by unqualified practitioners, substandard facilities, and ethical lapses.
Medical professionals have condemned the alleged embryo trafficking as a betrayal of the sacred doctor-patient trust, while patient rights advocates demand stricter licensing and oversight from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Dr Abebe remains on bail as investigations continue, with the trial poised to set vital precedents for reproductive medicine regulation and data privacy in healthcare.
