News
Nigerian Doctor Caught Pants Down With Patient In Hospital Toilet
A Nigerian doctor in the United Kingdom, UK, Ewere Onyikpe, accused of having s3x with a patient in a hospital’s toilet cubicle, has been suspended for an additional six months.
According to a report by Premium Times, Onyikpe is said to have begun a s3xual relationship with the woman while employed as a locum registrar at the Whittington Hospital, London.
The online newspaper earlier reported in 2023 how the Medical Practitioners Tribunal of the General Medical Council (MPT of the GMC) – a medical regulatory body in the UK, imposed a sanction of a six-month suspension on the suspect’s practising licence after he was found guilty by an investigative tribunal.
Having completed the six-month suspension, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) appealed against the MPT’s decision before a UK court on the ground that it failed to take into account the vulnerability of the patient within the allegation.
However, a tribunal hearing in February reconsidered the case. It determined that Mr Onyekpe’s registration should be suspended for 12 months having been found guilty of misconduct which was later reduced to six months to reflect the suspension already served.
The details of the case and decisions of the tribunal chaired by Tanveer Rakhim are highlighted in a 61-page document exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES after the hearing held from 12 February to 29 February.
How it happened
The tribunal heard that the suspect, a Nigerian-born medical doctor, examined the patient after she was brought to the Whittington Hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department by ambulance on 5 June 2020.
He made a diagnosis of sciatica and prescribed pain-killing medication for her and had an “intimate examination” which was considered to be appropriate.
It was Mr Onyekpe’s “unchallenged evidence” that before the patient left the hospital, she gave him her telephone number on a piece of paper saying ‘in case you want to be friends or anything’.
Mr Onyikpe allegedly sent the patient a WhatsApp message an hour after she was discharged from A&E and the pair exchanged messages over the coming days.
On 10 June, she was brought back to Whittington’s emergency department where she exchanged messages with the doctor for three-and-a-half hours which became “personal and highly s3xualised.”
The pair allegedly had consensual sexual intercourse in the hospital’s toilet cubicle that same day, the tribunal heard. The next day, Mr Onyekpe went to the patient’s home and again had consensual s3x with her.
The tribunal further heard that the pair continued to exchange sexual messages, interspersed with medical advice from Mr Onyekpe, until 24 July 2020.
On 3 August 2020, Mr Onyekpe was arrested on suspicion of raping the patient but the police released him without charge, after which GMC found out about the facts of his arrest.
Demands for erasure from medical records
The representative of the medical regulatory body, Rosalind Emsley-Smith, submitted at the tribunal that the appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was one of erasure.
Ms Emsley-Smith stated that Mr Onyekpe had admitted the majority of the allegations he faced before the tribunal and the totality of the allegations he had faced before a previous tribunal.
About the aggravating factors of the case, Ms Emsley-Smith submitted that Mr Onyekpe used his position as a doctor to pursue a sexual and improper emotional relationship with the “vulnerable” patient.
Ms Emsley-Smith submitted that the only way to remedy the damage to the reputation of the profession, which she said had occurred as a consequence of Mr Onyekpe’s decisions and conduct, would be to erase his name from the medical register.
However, in his defence, the doctor’s representative, James Counsell, submitted that Mr Onykpe accepts responsibility for his misconduct, reminding the tribunal that it occurred nearly four years ago.
Mr Counsell submitted that Mr Onykpe has always acknowledged that “his behaviour transgressed professional boundaries and that he had let everybody down, including himself, his family and his colleagues.”
He stated that Mr Onyekpe was a family man with a supportive wife and referred to the various testimonials that spoke of him as a man with integrity.
Mr Counsell stated that the GMC accepted that the relationship was entirely consensual. He referred to the rape allegation and Mr Onyekpe’s arrest in the presence of his wife, as well as the investigation by the GMC and the Trust, and how he cooperated with the entire process.
After the submissions, the tribunal concluded that Mr Onykpe’s conduct, spanning seven weeks, demonstrated a failure to prioritise the care of the patient, “who was vulnerable at all material times.”
Tribunal’s decision, conclusion
The tribunal concluded that the misconduct was adequately addressed with the substantive suspension, adding that it is not necessary to impose an immediate order of suspension on Mr Onyekpe’s registration.
“This means that Mr Onykpe’s registration will be suspended from the medical register 28 days from the date on which written notification of this decision is deemed to have been served unless he lodges an appeal,” the tribunal noted.
“If Mr Onykpe does lodge an appeal he will remain free to practice unrestricted until the outcome of any appeal is known.
“For the same reasons, the tribunal also determined to revoke the interim order of conditions with immediate.
By Gloria Ikibah
The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has called on the National Assembly to emphasise on funding for the effective take-off of already established institutions rather than creating new ones.
Dr. Alausa stated this at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, while presenting a memorandum on Thursday in Abuja.
The public hearing featured deliberations on three bills:
“A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State (HB.1797) – to provide full-time courses and training in technology, applied sciences, arts, social sciences, humanities, and management.
“A Bill to Amend Section 3(2)(b), the Second Schedule, and Section 31 of the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap F17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (HB.1413).
“A Bill to Amend the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap F17, to review the functions of polytechnics (HB.2114)”.
The Minister speaking against the “Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Hawul”, emphasised that the Federal Government maintains a policy of equitable distribution of federal institutions across states.
According to Alausa, no state should host more than one federal polytechnic, while every state must have at least one. Currently, all states except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory are covered under this arrangement.
He asserted that with limited resources, government efforts should be directed at strengthening existing institutions to deliver quality education rather than spreading resources thin by establishing new ones.
Alausa stated, “the Federal Ministry of Education has expanded avenues for establishing private tertiary institutions. States and individuals are encouraged to utilise these channels to support national educational development”.
In view of prevailing funding constraints, he recommended that deliberations on the proposed Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul, Borno State, be suspended.
He also urged the House to ensure that resources are dedicated to improving the quality of education for Nigerian students by consolidating support for already existing institutions.
With regards to the proposed amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act, the minister raised no objections except for the provision seeking to include representatives of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on the Governing Council of Polytechnics.
“While both organisations play significant roles, their core functions do not directly align with the responsibilities of a polytechnic’s governing council. NBTE serves as a regulatory body, while MAN advocates for the interests of manufacturers”, he stated.
Earlier, the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Usman Balami (PDP–Borno), defended the proposal, citing insecurity and rising unemployment in Borno as pressing reasons for establishing the institution.
He described the proposed college as a strategic response to the growing number of unemployed youth and a means to equip them with skills necessary for self-reliance and economic empowerment.
“This institution will provide diverse training programmes tailored for today’s dynamic job market. It will bridge the gap between theory and practice, producing graduates ready to meet workforce demands”, Balami said.
According to the Borno lawmaker, the college will foster innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and stimulate economic growth in the region by nurturing local talent and promoting a culture of self-employment.
Earlier in his remarks, the Committee Chairman, Rep. Fuad Laguda (APC–Lagos), noted a general consensus on the importance of skills acquisition in tackling unemployment.
He encouraged stakeholders to make robust contributions, assuring that the committee would carefully consider all submissions in its report.
“With the passage of these bills, Nigerians will have greater access to knowledge and skills in the arts, sciences, technology, humanities, and vocational and technical education,” Laguda said.
He also commended the leadership of the House for their support and the trust reposed in the committee to drive meaningful legislative outcomes.
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the technical fault that resulted in the widespread failure recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Adewale Adebayo, from Osun state on Thursday at plenary.
Naijablitznews.com recalled that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had released the results of the 2025 UTME on May 9, with a significant number of candidates posting poor scores.
Reports further revealed that over 78 percent of candidates scored below 200 marks out of the total 400 obtainable.
Following a prompt internal review, JAMB identified a major technical fault behind the results.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, at a press conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, stated that 379,997 candidates were affected due to discrepancies linked to server issues.
According to Prof. Oloyede, these was due to faulty software updates by one of the technical service providers handling JAMB’s operations in the Lagos and South-East zones.
He explained that the glitch, which occurred during the first three days of the examination, prevented the proper uploading of candidates’ answers and the error remained undetected before the results were made public.
He announced that the affected candidates will be allowed to retake the examination between May 16 and May 19, 2025.
Presenting the motion on the floor of the House, Rep. Adebayo lamented the hardships faced by many Nigerians, including long travels to exam centres, only to be met with such setbacks.
Contributing to the debate, Rep. Sada Soli from Katsina praised the JAMB Registrar for owning up to the error and offering an apology to the public, and described Oloyede as a man of integrity who has also improved the board’s finances since assuming office.
However, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas stated that whether the registrar deserves commendation is a matter for the investigative committee to determine.
The House also urged the federal government to establish Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in all local government areas across the country.
Lawmakers also urged JAMB to release the results of candidates who are below the age of 16.
The House unanimously adopted the motion through a voice vote.
. Conviction will send strong warning to int’l drug cartel, local collaborators, says Marwa, commends NDLEA officers for diligent investigation and prosecution
After over three years of diligent prosecution by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor has convicted 10 Thai sailors and their vessel named MV Chayanee Naree for trafficking 32.9 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport, Lagos.
The convicted sailors who are all nationals of Thailand include: Krilerk Tanakhan; Boonlert Hansoongnern; Jakkarin Booncharoen; Thammarong Put-tlek; Worrapat Paopinta; Marut Kantaprom; Werapat Somboonying; Urkit Amsri; Panudet Jaisuk and Amrat Thawom.
They were first arraigned before the court along with nine Nigerian suspects by NDLEA in February 2022 on offences bordering on conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the illicit drug consignment from Brazil to Nigeria. The vessel, the convicted sailors and the nine Nigerians were arrested on 13th October 2021, at the Apapa port in Lagos. The Nigerian suspects are: Samuel Messiah; Ishaya Maisamari; Ilesanmi Ayo Abbey; Osabeye Stephen; Gbenga Ogunfadeke; Kayode Buletiri; Rilwan Omotosho Liasu; Saidi Sule Alani and Jamiu Adewale Yusuf.
They were all subsequently charged to court over the illegal acts which NDLEA prosecutors argued contravened sections 11(a), 11 (b), and 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.
The convicted sailors had initially made a no-case submission which was dismissed following submissions by the prosecution that a prima facie case had been established against the vessel and its crew members. As a result, the trial judge ordered the convicted Thai sailors and others to open their defence on the charges against them.
Following the court ruling, the convicted sailors opted for a plea bargain agreement with the NDLEA and as a result, Justice Osiagor delivered his ruling at the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday 15th May 2025.
Among other penalties, the judge convicted the Vessel MV Chayanee Naree for unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria and
ordered to pay a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent.
The 2nd – 11th defendants were convicted under section 25 of the NDLEA Act for permitting the use of the vessel for the unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants were ordered to pay N100,000.00 each as punishment for the offence and in addition restitution in the sum of $50,000 USD each or its equivalent in Naira to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The 5th – 11th defendants are to pay N100,000.00 each and restitution in the sum of $30,000.00, bringing the total amount payable to Four Million Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand US Dollars ($4,360,000.00).
Justice Osiagor thereafter adjourned the trial of the nine Nigerian suspects to June 25.
While the prosecution was led by the Agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, DCGN Theresa Asuquo, supported by A. Adebayo and Paul Awogbuyi, the defence team was led by the trio of Messrs Babajide Koku, Femi Atoyebi and Tunde Adejuyigbe, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).
In his reaction, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the court ruling was a strong message to the international drug cartel and their local collaborators that Nigeria will never be a safe hub for illicit drug trafficking. He commended the NDLEA prosecution team and officers of the Apapa Strategic Command involved in the arrest, seizure and investigation of the shipment for their diligence and resilience in following the case to a logical conclusion. He charged them not to relent in pursuing the other part of the case still pending.
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