By RismadarVoice Media, December 17, 2025
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, has called for an urgent, thorough investigation into the death of Mrs. Akudo John, who died hours after giving birth at Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Ikate Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos.
The call was made on Tuesday during a news briefing addressed by the deceased’s husband, Mr. Justice John, alongside the Chairman of the NBA, Lagos Branch, Mrs. Uchenna Akingbade.
John described his wife’s death as “sad, painful and completely avoidable,” alleging medical negligence, poor emergency response, conflicting explanations by the hospital management.
According to him, the couple registered for antenatal care at the hospital in the 13th week of pregnancy, attended consistently, with all medical tests indicating that his wife was healthy, had no underlying condition.
He said concerns were raised during antenatal care about the baby’s size, however, assurances from the consultant gynaecologist, Dr. Joseph Yahaya, ruled out the need for an elective Caesarean Section.
“Our baby weighed 4.2kg, which qualifies as fetal macrosomia. Despite my concerns, I was repeatedly assured that everything would be fine,” John said.
He alleged that after a spontaneous vaginal delivery on December 3, 2025, his wife developed severe pain, continuous bleeding which were poorly managed.
“My wife complained of a heavy internal flow, which was initially dismissed. Even when internal bleeding was suspected, no urgent referral was made, despite a clear 15-hour window between delivery and her death,” he said.
John further alleged that five pints of blood were transfused without identifying the source of the bleeding, while his wife’s condition deteriorated.
“At about 3am, she began convulsing. There was no oxygen in the ward, no medical personnel around until I screamed for help,” he alleged.
He also accused the hospital of a chaotic emergency response, claiming his wife fell from a stretcher during evacuation, that the ambulance was not immediately functional.
Mrs. John was later taken to the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. While the hospital reportedly issued a death certificate, citing cardiac arrest, an autopsy conducted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital attributed her death to haemorrhagic shock.
John said petitions had been submitted to the Lagos State Ministry of Health, the Hospital Management Board, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, demanding disciplinary action against the doctors involved.
“This burden is heavy, but life is sacred. I will not rest until justice is served,” he said.
Corroborating his position, NBA Lagos Chairman, Mrs. Akingbade said the association was providing full institutional support to ensure accountability.
“Our mandate includes the promotion of the rule of law, protection of the right to life. This hospital had about 15 hours to control the situation but failed to do so,” she said.
She urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Lagos State Government, relevant hospital boards to investigate the incident, stressing that justice must not only be done but seen to be done.
Responding to the allegations, the Proprietor of Gynescope Specialist Hospital, Prof. Jude Okohue, described the incident as “very unfortunate” however denied claims of negligence.
He insisted that Mrs. John did not die from vaginal bleeding, saying doctors became alarmed by rising pulse rates, the discovery of black blood in her stool.
“There was no excessive vaginal bleeding. The bleeding that caused her death was internal. In 29 years of practice, I have never seen a woman who delivered normally bleed from the anus,” Okohue said.
He added that the total vaginal blood loss was within normal limits, that there was no medical indication for a Caesarean Section, noting that the patient delivered within 20 minutes of full dilation.
Okohue denied claims that the patient fell from a stretcher or that the hospital abandoned her, saying the facility supported the autopsy, had nothing to hide.
The NBA said it would continue to monitor the coroner’s inquest and investigations by relevant authorities, insisting that patient safety and accountability must remain paramount.
