FG Takes Abuja Doctor to Court Over N19 Million IVF Scam, Unauthorized Sale of Couples’ Embryos

The Federal Government has arraigned a 54-year-old Abuja-based doctor, John Abebe, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jabi, on allegations of fraud, criminal conspiracy, and unauthorized disclosure of confidential medical records.

Abebe, who also serves as a pastor at Living Faith Church in Durumi, Abuja, appeared in court on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, alongside his medical facility, Joje Abebe Hospital Limited. Both face three counts including fraud, criminal conspiracy, and the alleged sale of a couple’s embryos.

According to prosecutors, Abebe disclosed the private medical records of Mrs. Mary Manga and her husband without consent, violating Section 29 of the National Health Act 2014.

Prosecutors further allege that between January and May 2025, Abebe defrauded the couple of N19 million, claiming to be a specialist in In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). The funds, they assert, were converted for personal use, an offense under Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

The case also includes allegations that the doctor sold the couple’s fully developed embryos to other patients, a claim that, if proven, could represent one of the most serious fertility-related scandals in recent Nigerian history.

Both Abebe and his hospital pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, requested bail, which the prosecution did not oppose. Justice A. A. Fashola granted bail of N5 million, with a reliable surety of equal value employed by a verifiable organization. The trial is scheduled to begin on April 2, 2026.