Nigeria’s Federal Government has filed a fresh criminal charge against Abuja-based fertility doctor Dr. John Abebe over allegations of IVF fraud, unlawful disclosure of confidential medical records and the alleged sale of nine embryos belonging to a couple. The case, filed in August 2026 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, also names Joje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited and Balkis Olanike Bakare as defendants.
The fresh charge was filed through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) after the AGF took over prosecution of the matter from the Nigeria Police Force. The Federal Government alleges that Abebe obtained ₦19 million from a couple between January and May 2025 for specialist in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services and subsequently converted the money to his personal use. Prosecutors also allege that embryos belonging to the couple were unlawfully dealt with and sold to other patients.
The allegations have not been proved in court, and the defendants remain presumed innocent unless convicted.
The fresh federal charge follows an earlier prosecution initiated by the Inspector-General of Police.
Abebe and his clinic were first arraigned on March 11, 2026, before Justice A. A. Fashola of the FCT High Court in Abuja. The earlier case involved allegations of fraud, criminal conspiracy and unlawful disclosure of confidential medical records.
Abebe pleaded not guilty to the allegations, and the court granted him bail. The subsequent decision by the AGF to take over the prosecution led to the filing of the fresh charge against Abebe, Joje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited and Balkis Olanike Bakare.
The AGF’s intervention represents a change in who is prosecuting the case. It does not constitute a finding that the allegations are true.
The embryo allegations form the most serious aspect of the fresh prosecution.
According to the charge as reported by Nigerian newspapers, prosecutors allege that nine embryos belonging to the complainants were unlawfully dealt with and allegedly sold to other patients. The embryos were reportedly identified as two male and seven female embryos.
The prosecution further alleges that the embryos were among those created during the couple’s IVF treatment and that Abebe converted some of them to his personal use.
However, the reports describe the alleged sale or transfer as part of the prosecution’s case. There has been no judicial finding establishing that the embryos were sold or transferred as alleged.
The court will determine the facts and applicable legal consequences as the case proceeds.
The Federal Government alleges that Abebe obtained ₦19 million from the couple between January and May 2025 under the alleged representation that he would provide specialist IVF services.
Prosecutors further allege that he converted the money to his personal use. The allegation is linked in the charge to Section 1 of Nigeria’s Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Earlier reports from Abebe’s March arraignment also described the alleged ₦19 million IVF fraud and alleged conversion of the couple’s embryos.
The fresh prosecution also concerns the alleged disclosure of confidential medical records belonging to Mr and Mrs Mary Manga.
The Federal Government alleges that Abebe disclosed the couple’s medical information without their consent. Another allegation concerns confidential reproductive-health information relating to Mrs Manga’s husband, which prosecutors say was attached to a pre-action demand notice issued through lawyers.
According to the prosecution, the information became accessible to third parties and caused emotional distress to the complainants.
Nigeria’s National Health Act 2014 provides specific protections for patient health information. Section 26 states that information concerning a healthcare user, including information about their health status, treatment or stay in a health establishment, is confidential, subject to specified exceptions such as written consent, a court order or circumstances involving a serious threat to public health.
The current proceedings follow the March 2026 arraignment of Abebe and his clinic.
At that stage, prosecutors alleged that Abebe obtained ₦19 million from the couple for IVF treatment, unlawfully disclosed their medical records and converted some of their embryos to his personal use. Reports from the arraignment identified Mary Manga and her husband, Adamu Hassan, as the complainants.
Abebe pleaded not guilty to the allegations, after which the court granted bail.
The fresh federal charge now brings the Attorney-General’s office directly into the prosecution while the underlying allegations remain before the court.
(Rh/ARC/MSM)