The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Imohimi Edgal, has arrested
45 years Achegbulu Paul for operating an illegal blood bank in his one
room apartment at Number 18 Kusa bus stop in Bariga, with children as
donors.
The suspect was arrested on June 9th after he drew four pints of
blood from 17 years old Ayomide Adesanya on Monday June 4 and Saturday
June 9. He took two pints each on the two days.
The medical lab technician of 18 Kusa bus stop Bariga was said to
have lured under aged kids. He paid them 2,000 naira each while he sold
the blood for 7,000.
The CP led operatives of the Command to 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. Upon arrest, the illegal blood vendor confessed to sell blood to
a hospital here in Lagos for 7,000 naira” the police Commissioner said
The suspect further stated that the victim told him that he was 20 years old.
“It was until the parents came to confront me that I knew he was 17 years old”.
According to the suspect, a Benue State indigene, he was trained as a
lab scientist at the Nigerian Institute of Science Technology in
Plateau.
“I am a trained technician and I’ve been operating the illegal blood bank for five years now,” he confessed.
The survivor has been transferred to shomolu general hospital by his
parents for better medical care, Ayomide was transfused with the 2nd
pint of blood at about 5pm yesterday June 12th.
The CP has directed that all those buying blood from the suspect to
be investigated and arrested because they run an illegal blood bank. The
blood was not screened of HIV, Hepatitis among others.