The Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel has referred two doctors to the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal over the death of Mrs Akudo Lovelyn John, who died following childbirth at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos State, on Thursday, 4 December 2025.
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In a letter dated Monday, 5 October 2026, reference MDPIP/1128/45, signed by the Secretary to the Panel, Dr. E. D. Abdu, and addressed to the deceased’s husband, Justice U. John, Esq., the Panel said it had established a prima facie case of misconduct in a professional respect against:
- Dr. Joseph Aliyu Yahaya
- Dr. Leroy Chuma Edozien
“The doctors have been referred to the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal for adjudication.”
The Panel said it did not establish any prima facie case of misconduct in a professional respect against five other doctors:
- Dr. Jude Ehiabhi Okohue
- Dr. Adeiyi Taiwo Olugbenga
- Dr. Olawale Enigbokan
- Dr. Owoseni Taiwo
- Dr. Charles C. Anunobi
The letter records that the Panel acted on the complainant’s affidavit of facts in support of formal complaint dated 23 December 2025 and further affidavits dated 19 June 2026, together with counter-affidavits from six doctors:
- Dr. Jude Ehiabhi Okohue, dated 2 June 2026
- Dr. Joseph Aliyu Yahaya, dated 2 June 2026
- Dr. Adeiyi Taiwo Olugbenga, dated 11 February 2026
- Dr. Olawale Enigbokan, dated 24 June 2026
- Dr. Owoseni Taiwo, dated 24 June 2026
- Dr. Charles C. Anunobi, dated 28 June 2026 and 2 July 2026
It also records oral depositions on oath.
The Panel concluded its investigation at its 27th session, held at Excel Hotel and Resort, 27 Okemisi Crescent, Garki, Abuja, on Monday, 28 September 2026 and Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
Both the Investigation Panel and the Disciplinary Tribunal are statutory organs of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, established under section 15 of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap M8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The Panel’s function is preliminary. It conducts an investigation into any case in which it is alleged that a registered person has misbehaved in his capacity as a medical practitioner or dental surgeon, or should for any other reason be the subject of proceedings before the Tribunal, and decides whether there is a case to answer.
The Tribunal adjudicates and, where it finds a practitioner guilty, may order that the name be struck off the register, suspend the practitioner for a period, or admonish him.
Justice U. John, Esq., a legal practitioner, published a statement after receiving the Panel’s letter. What follows is his account. None of it has been tested, and the Panel’s letter does not state the grounds of its finding.
He begins with the loss.
“Ten months ago, the life of my dearly beloved wife, Akudo Lovelyn John was cut short following childbirth at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos State. She was not allowed an opportunity to fight for her life when the Responsible Medical Officer, Dr Aliyu Joseph Yahaya (the ‘Consultant’), refused and failed to timely transfer her or urgently summon surgical intervention to rescue her; and she lost her life from haemorrhagic shock as a result of massive colorectal haemorrhage while in the care of the Consultant.”
He explains the terms for lay readers.
“‘Haemorrhage’ in itself is severe blood loss. ‘Colorectal haemorrhage’ is that severe blood loss happening around the colon and rectum of the human body. The loss of blood was massive as noted in the post-mortem report, observed and recorded; unchecked, it ultimately led to a shock and fatality.”
On the observations he says were recorded.
“The haemodynamics of my late wife, comprising blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and pulse, progressively deteriorated over a long period of hours as recorded in the Vital Signs Chart released by the facility, yet the Consultant ignored these obvious features. Even my pleas and entreaties fell on deaf ears.”
“More bewildering is that in addition to the haemodynamic features, which by the way, before the Panel, the said Consultant admitted, if not checked would ultimately lead to fatality, the passage of melena stool at 8pm and later at 11pm on Wednesday 3rd December 2025, as recorded in the Medical Case Note, was an unmistakable clinical sign of an intestinal tract bleed, which by every medical standard is an emergency. This was bluntly disregarded by the Consultant.”
On referral.
“This above emergency required immediate surgical intervention to arrest the bleeding, which was unabated. Timely transfer or summoning a general surgeon was non-negotiable at this point if the patient was to be offered a chance of survival. The Consultant also acknowledged that the management of intestinal tract bleed is one that is outside his purview and professional competence as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, thereby placing a higher responsibility on him to act in the best interest of my late wife, immediate transfer or seek appropriate specialist.”
“The Consultant refused, neglected and failed to transfer or summon surgical expertise from 8pm on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025 when the signs were obvious until 3am on Thursday, 4th December 2025 when the crisis started. My late wife was only presented at Lagos Island Maternity Hospital at 3:45am on Thursday, 4th December 2025 where she was pronounced Brought in Dead. If only the Consultant had agreed to an earlier transfer. On the Lekki-Ikoyi-Victoria Island corridor, viable options existed for transfer or referral, yet none was considered by the Consultant.”
On the medication.
“A graver revelation that came to light in the course of the Panel hearing was the administering of Furosemide 40mg on my late wife by the Consultant at 10pm on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025 at a time when her blood pressure was at the lowest 86/43 and her pulse was 124. This is a clinically absolute contraindication. Furosemide is a medication used to reduce over circulation of fluid in the body and ought not to be administered at a time when my wife had clear shortage of blood. The implication of this is a further drop in her blood pressure and worsened hypotension.”
On the footage.
“You may recall that I did mention in my previous post on this subject that in the course of evacuating my wife, she fell off the stretcher. The timestamp of that fall was 3:14am to 3:17am on Thursday, 4th December 2025. The facility’s CCTV Camera 8 located along the aisle of the third floor of the facility is the relevant camera, given that my late wife was in Suite 4. The facility withheld the material footage.”
“Unwittingly, the facility released footage from the same Camera 8 before and after the incident, making it clear that the said camera 8 was in active use during the entire period under review, except that the footage was perversely doctored and the relevant portion evidencing the fall of my late wife was surreptitiously removed.”
“This issue was raised before the MDCN and the Panel on Tuesday 29th September 2026, and the facility owner, Dr Jude Ehiabhi Okohue, said he didn’t see the need to keep that particular footage but kept others. The content of that footage is harmful to the facility, hence they have sworn not to release the same. Notwithstanding, my team is determined and will use every available legal means to compel the release of the footage.”
On what comes next.
“The Panel at its 27th Session at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Monday, 28th September 2026 and Tuesday 29th September, 2026 established a prima facie case of misconduct in a professional respect against the Consultant, Dr Aliyu Joseph Yahaya in the management of my late wife, Mrs Akudo Lovelyn John and have now referred the said Consultant to the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal for determination and appropriate sanctions. We now look forward to this.”
He described both bodies as “the Professional Brethren of Good Repute and Competency for medical and dental practitioners, enforcing the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria.”
And he set his own limit.
“CAVEAT: As you may also be aware, a Coroner Inquest is still ongoing in respect of this subject and a civil suit is underway. I am restrained from discussing the matters before the Courts. This update is relevant to the petition before the MDCN.”
“Thank you for your rapt attention. My family and I are grateful for all the support.”
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