Alleged IVF fraud: FG files fresh 12-count charge against Abuja medical doctor
The Federal Government has initiated new legal proceedings against Pastor John Abebe, an Abuja-based fertility doctor, filing a 12-count criminal charge that includes allegations of unlawful disclosure of patient medical records, the sale of human embryos, and fraud.
The charges were filed on July 21, 2026, in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Abebe, who serves as a pastor at the Living Faith Church (also known as Winners Chapel) in Durumi, Abuja, is charged alongside his medical practice, Joje Abebe Fertility Centre Limited, and an associate, Balikis Olanike Bakare. Notably, Bakare was not included in an earlier three-count charge filed by the Inspector General of Police on January 12, 2026.
The new allegations assert that Abebe unlawfully sold nine out of twelve embryos belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Adamu Hassan to other patients. Further accusations state that he defrauded the couple of 19 million naira and administered fake and substandard drugs to Mrs. Hassan, resulting in significant health complications.
Prosecutors indicated that Abebe and Bakare falsely claimed to have transferred two male embryos to a surrogate mother, contradicting evidence presented during the investigation.
Abebe and his co-defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on October 28, 2026.
The earlier charges against Abebe and Joje Abebe Hospital Limited were brought before Justice Akeem A. Fashola on March 11, 2026. They were granted bail at that time. The Attorney General of the Federation assumed oversight of the case on June 18, 2026, following claims that the former Commander of the Special Tactical Squad failed to present Abebe for arraignment in February.
Details of the new indictment include various counts, one of which alleges that Abebe breached confidentiality agreements with the Hassan couple regarding their medical information, causing emotional distress. Additional counts specify instances of fraud and the unauthorized sale of human embryos, in violation of multiple health and criminal statutes.
As the case unfolds, further legal developments are anticipated in the coming months.
