Police Discover Illegal Blood Bank At Bariga, Lagos

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have uncovered an illegal blood bank allegedly operated by a 45-year-old man, Paul Achegbulu, in Bariga, Lagos Mainland.

Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal led his men to arrest the suspect in his 18 Kusa Bus Stop, Bariga one-room apartment where he operated from.

According to police report, Achegbulu was arrested after he drew four pints of blood from a 17-year-old boy, Ayomide Adesanya, on Monday June 4 and Sunday June 10. He took two pints each on the two days.

The medical lab technician was said to have lured under aged kids. He paid them 2,000 naira each while he sold the blood for N7,000.

According to the PPRO Lagos, SP Chike Oti, the CP led operatives of the Command to the Bariga to see the blood bank and paid a visit to the victim at the hospital after the case got to the Command.

“The illegal blood bank was uncovered after the last victim was hospitalised. Adesanya became weak after donating four pints of blood, collapsed and is currently receiving treatment at the Bariga Hospital.

“The mother told us that the daughter’s friend informed them of Adesanya’s condition after she saw him on a bike looking like a corpse,” police disclosed.

The PPRO Lagos told newsmen that upon his arrest, the illegal blood vendor confessed to selling blood to a hospital here in Lagos for 7,000 naira.

But the suspect said he did not know Adesanya was underage, adding that the victim told him that he was 20.

“It was when his parents came to confront me that I knew he was 17. He told me he was 20. I am a lab scientist. I was trained five years ago at the Nigerian Institute of Laboratory Science Technology.

“Lab technicians from hospitals used to come and buy blood from me. I used to sell the blood through my assistant, Alfa. He’s the one who knows the hospitals he sold to. I do not know where he is at the moment,” the suspect said.

Condemning the action, a group, Child Protection Network (CPN) said bloods were collected with a cannula in a stuffy room, where the suspect lived with his nursing wife and their baby.

The group’s coordinator, Ebenezer Omejalile, decried the use of the blood by hospitals, noting that they were neither screened for HIV, Hepatitis or other communicable diseases.

“Adesanya is currently on blood transfusion at the hospital. He was moved to Somolu General Hospital by his parents and as of 5:00p.m. yesterday, he was receiving his second pint of blood. “We demand the investigation and arrest of all those who have been buying blood from Alfa. The suspect’s family has promised to go all out to seek justice in this case. The matter was first reported to FSARS men at Gbagada but they did nothing about it,” he said.