The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Sunday announced that the
House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, has ordered the CEO of Alliance Hospital, Dr. Christopher Otabor, and three other staff of the hospital to go back to court and defend themselves in the ongoing case of organ harvesting instituted by the agency.
But the hospital denied the account of the agency, saying the House of Reps in its ruling.
“In the suit the Federal Government of Nigeria Vs Alliance Hospital & Services, NAPTIP had arraigned the 51-year-old, Dr. Christopher Otabor, and three others before a High Court of the FCT sitting at Zuba, presided over by Hon. Justice Ogbonnaya, for alleged organ (kidney) harvest on March 18, 2024.
“Arraigned with him are Emmanuel Olorunlaye, male (36 years), Chikaodili Ugochukwu, Female (37 years), and Dr. Aremu Abayomi, male (43 years).
“Currently on court bail the defendants have been ordered to report to NAPTIP Headquarters in Abuja daily and surrender their travel documents to the court.
“Their arraignment followed months of thorough investigation during when a prima facie case was established against them, implicating them in varying degrees of culpability for offences related to organ harvesting, as stipulated under section 20 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
“The aggrieved Medical Doctor, Christopher Otabor had sought redress at the National Assembly challenging his detention by the agency during the investigative process through a petition to the House Committee on Public Petitions.
“The Committee in exercise of its legislative duties, subsequently invited the Management of NAPTIP to appear before it last Thursday.
“In his brief submission, the Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of NAPTIP, Mr. Hassan Tahir, informed the Committee that the matter was sub judice as the case was already pending before a court of competent jurisdiction and all the defendants including the petitioner had already taken their plea, with the the trial scheduled to begin on May 6th, 2024.
“Ruling on the matter, the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Mike Etaba, told the complainant to go back to the court and face the charges before him ultimately dismissing the petition.
“NAPTIP, in a statement by its Communication Officer, Vincent Adekoye said: “This decision reinforces the commitment to due process and legal proceedings in addressing serious allegations such as organ harvesting.”
The Alliance Hospital has however described as misleading the Interpretation of given by the agency on the House of Representatives ruling.
The hospital which accused the agency of violating their rights said the narrative the agency had sold to the general eral public was misleading and laced with inaccuracies.
Explaining what transpired at the House of Representatives hearing, the consultant to the Hospital, Mr. Dada Joseph stated,
In a statement by the Media Consultant to Alliance Hospital Dada Joseph, the last proceeding was meant for the Director General of NAPTIP, Dr Fatima Waziri to appear based on the summons issued against her following the petition of violation of fundamental human rights, flagrant abuse of her office against the Managing Director of Alliance Hospital Dr Christopher Otabor and three of the his staff.
The summoned which was issued on her on march 7th, 2024 by the chairman of the House Committee on public petition Emeka Etaba to appear on the 18th of April 2024, but knowing fully well that the committee will not spare her for violating the rights of the MD of Alliance Hospital, the DG quickly rushed to file a suit against him before the FCT high court on March 18th , 2024 barely 11 days after her summon.
“At the resumed hearing on Thursday 18th April again the DG was absent and sent her staff to inform the committee that the agency has instituted the matter before an FCT high court.
“The Chairman was forced to rule that since the matter is before the court, it will be subjudice for the committee to continue proceeding on the petition.”
