News
EXCLUSIVE: Father Battles Edo Hospital Over Baby’s HIV Infection During Blood Transfusion, Rejects ₦300,000 Offer, Demands ₦100Million Compensation
The baby was discharged two days later after receiving two rounds of transfused blood. But what was initially assumed to be a life-saving procedure soon spiralled into a nightmare, according to Praise.
Afather, Praise Mumbo, in Edo State, is demanding ₦100 million in compensation from Safebliss Medical Center in Benin City after his baby allegedly contracted HIV during a blood transfusion at the private facility.
Praise Mumbor had accused the private medical facility of infecting his one-year-nine-month-old son, Jeremiah Mumbor, with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) through a tainted blood transfusion.
In an exclusive account made available to SaharaReporters, the aggrieved father narrated how his child, who was previously healthy and HIV-negative, fell critically ill on February 6, 2025. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors claimed the boy’s blood level had dropped dangerously low.
The father said he paid ₦40,000 for the transfusion, which was carried out immediately. The baby was discharged two days later after receiving two rounds of transfused blood.
But what was initially assumed to be a life-saving procedure soon spiralled into a nightmare, according to Praise.
The case, which has now attracted state government intervention, has raised serious questions about negligence and accountability in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The grieving father told SaharaReporters that for months, he and his family suffered in silence, waiting for the Ministry of Health to investigate how his child was infected with the life-threatening virus. According to him, he had made multiple trips to the Edo State Secretariat without receiving any meaningful attention.
”It was only after SaharaReporters published the story earlier this month that the Edo State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Dr. Cyril Adams Oshomile, reached out directly. The Commissioner invited both the family and the hospital’s management to a meeting scheduled for August 4 at the State Government Secretariat,” a family source stated.
Praise said on the day of the meeting, he was accompanied by his own father, two relatives of his wife, and a human rights activist. The hospital was represented by its owner, her son, who also acts as the facility’s administrator, and a female lawyer.
The session began with introductions. However, according to Praise, when the hospital’s lawyer introduced herself, the Commissioner reportedly questioned why the hospital had brought legal representation, stressing that his priority was finding a resolution.
“The Commissioner told them plainly that the baby’s file was with him and he had gone through it. He said if this matter goes to court, the hospital will lose, and someone must go to jail. From that point, the atmosphere in the meeting became tense,” the father told SaharaReporters.
The father asserted that the hospital management attempted to shift responsibility, with the owner suggesting that perhaps the child had been taken to a pharmacy earlier, where the infection might have occurred. The Commissioner immediately dismissed this claim, pointing out that pharmacies dispense medication but do not administer blood transfusions.
He also recalled that the hospital’s administrator repeatedly interrupted discussions, prompting visible irritation from the Commissioner.
“The Commissioner got angry and told him to stop making a noise, reminding them that the truth was already clear,” he said.
At the end of the session, the Commissioner laid out two key resolutions. First, the Ministry of Health would support the child’s parents by providing them with employment opportunities, enabling them to sustain themselves while caring for their baby.
Second, the hospital must take responsibility and offer financial support for the baby’s medical needs.
According to the father, the Commissioner suggested ₦700,000 in financial assistance. But rather than accept responsibility, the hospital owner continued to deflect blame.
He said the hospital owner argued that she was a retired nurse and financially broke. According to Praise, she further claimed that the baby bore multiple scarification marks, allegedly inflicted by a traditional healer through the grandmother.
”The Commissioner, however, ordered that the claims be investigated. The hospital’s lawyer asked for more time, promising that they would go home and ‘make plans’ to raise some money by the next meeting. No concrete figure was offered at the time,” he said.
”After the meeting, the Commissioner invited some journalists to speak briefly about the case, underscoring the government’s interest in resolving the crisis.”
But the father said he insisted that the hospital’s tactics are aimed at evading accountability. He stressed that subsequent investigations disproved the hospital’s allegation that the baby bore scarification marks.
“This is not the first time I’m going to the Secretariat. In fact, this is my seventh visit. I went there three times before the story went viral, and I was ignored. It was only after the publications that the Commissioner started calling me for meetings,” the father explained.
He expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for his interventions so far but maintained that the hospital’s attempt to offer ₦300,000 compensation is an insult to his child’s suffering and his family’s ordeal.
“They are proposing ₦300,000 for a baby whose life has been permanently altered. This is wickedness. I am demanding ₦100 million because this is not just about money—it is about justice and accountability. Somebody must be held responsible,” he said.
The father warned that if the Ministry of Health fails to ensure proper accountability, he is prepared to pursue the matter in court.
“The Commissioner himself said they would lose in court. If that’s the case, why are they still playing games? This is about my baby’s life,” he added.
-Leadership
Fidelity Bank’s leadership in digital innovation and public sector collaboration has once again been spotlighted as the tier-one lender was honoured at the Comptroller General of Customs Award Night 2025.
At the ceremony, which took place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Grand Ballroom, Abuja, on Friday, 21 November 2025, Fidelity Bank was presented with a prestigious award by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for being the first bank to successfully process Customs Duty and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) on the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS).
The award, presented under the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi (MFR), serves as a formal recognition of the bank’s “Distinctive Performance and Commitment to the Ideals and Vision of the Nigeria Customs Service.”
Receiving the award on behalf of the bank, the Executive Director, FCT & North, Mr. Sufiyanu Garba, stated, “This award is a testament to our commitment to operational excellence and our resolve to support the digital transformation of Nigeria’s trade and customs ecosystem. We are proud to be at the forefront of this historic milestone and remain dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that drive Nigeria’s economic development.”
The bank’s quick adoption of the UCMS stems from its vision for a truly seamless and borderless African trade. Earlier this year, the bank officially launched the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), following a successful onboarding and over N46 billion in early transactions. PAPSS enables instant, local currency cross-border payments across Africa, particularly benefiting SMEs. By integrating PAPSS into its core operations, Fidelity Bank continues to dismantle trade barriers, empower businesses, and expand its impact across the continent.
This latest recognition by the Nigeria Customs Service adds to Fidelity Bank’s impressive streak of achievements in 2025, including its double win as “Best Bank for Export & Trade Finance” and “Most Innovative Bank of the Year” at the BusinessDay Bank and Other Financial Institutions’ (BAFI) Awards. These accolades underscore the bank’s commitment to empowering businesses, driving innovation, and supporting Nigeria’s economic advancement. The Comptroller General of Customs Award further affirms Fidelity Bank’s pivotal role in modernizing trade processes and aligning with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
L – R: Head, Central Collections Unit, Olaide Adeyemo; Executive Director -FCT & North, Sufiyanu Garba; and Regional Bank Head, Abuja 3 Regional Bank, Martin Ayodele (all of Fidelity Bank Plc); at the Comptroller General of Customs Award Night 2025 in Abuja where Fidelity Bank PLC was recognized as the first bank to successfully process Customs Duty and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) on the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) recently.
Fidelity Bank Plc has restated its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, with a strong focus on supporting indigenous operators. This was highlighted by the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON, during a first oil presentation event for Emadeb Energy at Fidelity Place, the bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
At the event, Emadeb Energy’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi, expressed appreciation for the bank’s role in enabling the company’s progress.
“What makes Fidelity Bank unique is its willingness to take calculated risks. Many banks prefer to work with companies only after they have achieved first oil because they want already-established customers. Fidelity Bank reviewed our proposal thoroughly, including legal, technical, financial and character assessments. We met these requirements and that is why they supported us,” Olujimi said.
Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe congratulated Emadeb Energy on its milestone and reaffirmed Fidelity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s energy sector.
“At Fidelity Bank, we are dedicated to supporting indigenous companies in developing oil and gas assets that enhance energy security and promote sustainable growth. Our interventions include financing Nigeria’s first privately built and operated onshore crude export terminal in over fifty years at the Otakikpo Marginal Field in Rivers State.
“We also led funding for the Pinnacle Oil and Gas Terminal in Lekki, Lagos, which improves petroleum product distribution and reduces costs. In addition, we part-financed the production of a 23,000-cubic-meter Liquefied Petroleum Gas carrier for Temile Development Company Limited, which supports cleaner energy use and strengthens local maritime participation,” she said.
Emadeb Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited, operator of Petroleum Prospecting License (PPL) 236, recently achieved first oil from the Ibom Field, a milestone regarded as a significant breakthrough in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
“Our next phase will be exciting. We plan to drill two additional wells and increase production to 12,000 barrels per day by the end of 2026. After that, we aim to expand our gas business and raise oil output to 30,000 barrels per day,” Olujimi added.
L – R: Executive Director -South, Mrs. Pamela Shodipo; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON (both of Fidelity Bank Plc); Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi; Group Executive Director, Mrs. Olugbesoye Olujimi (both of Emadeb Energy); Executive Director -Lagos and South West, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Ken Opara; and Group Executive Director, Finance/Strategy, Emadeb Energy, Mr. Tosin Adewuyi; at the First Oil presentation event by Emadeb Energy at the Fidelity Bank headoffice in Lagos recently.
Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, has released its unaudited financial statements for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025. The results show impressive performance across key income lines and operational metrics.
According to the statements published on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) portal on November 21, 2025, the Bank reported Gross Earnings of ₦366.1 billion for Q3 2025. This represents an 8 percent increase from the ₦338.9 billion recorded in Q3 2024. The growth was driven by strong interest income and sustained momentum in fee-based revenues.
Interest Income, calculated using the effective interest rate method, rose by 33 percent to ₦285.6 billion in Q3 2025, compared to ₦214.7 billion in Q3 2024. Other Interest Income more than doubled, rising from ₦13.0 billion in the corresponding period of 2024 to ₦34.2 billion. This underscores significantly improved returns from non-core lending activities.
Year-to-date, the Bank achieved a major milestone with Gross Earnings surpassing ₦1.1 trillion, the highest in its history. This is an increase from ₦772.5 billion in Q3 2024. The Bank’s total assets also crossed the ₦10 trillion mark, driven by robust growth in cash, customer loans, and investment securities; this compares to ₦8.8 trillion in Q3 2024. Net Interest Income for the nine-month period reached ₦565.3 billion, while fee and commission income totaled ₦84.5 billion. The respective figures for Q3 2024 were ₦470.5 billion and ₦56.3 billion.
Credit Loss Expenses moved to ₦900 million from ₦32.8 billion in Q3 2024; however, Net Interest Income remained flat at ₦144.8 billion, compared to ₦143.7 billion in Q3 2024. This reflects improved asset quality and effective risk management practices. Fee and Commission Income grew by 47.2 percent to ₦31.1 billion, up from ₦21.1 billion in Q3 2024, driven by increased transaction volumes and digital banking adoption. Foreign currency revaluation gains contributed ₦14.1 billion to Non-Interest Revenue, while other Operating Income rose to ₦1.1 billion from ₦447 million in Q3 2024.
Fidelity Bank Receives Customs Service Award for Pioneering Role in UCMS Implementation
Fidelity Bank Reaffirms Support for Indigenous Oil, Gas Development
Q3 2025: Fidelity Bank Grows Interest Income by 33%, Fee Income by 47%
5 Life Lessons from Manchester City EPL Current woes
Liverpool Announce Jürgen Klopp Return To The Club
MTN Teams Up With Meta To Boost WhatsApp Call Quality
-
Article8 months ago5 Life Lessons from Manchester City EPL Current woes
-
Sports8 months agoLiverpool Announce Jürgen Klopp Return To The Club
-
Business8 months agoMTN Teams Up With Meta To Boost WhatsApp Call Quality
-
News8 months agoCommonwealth Observers Prepare For Gabon Presidential Election
-
Article8 months agoPonzi Scheme CEO Francis Uju Udoms of Addfx Case still Unresolved Despite SEC certification
-
News8 months agoChibok Girls: 11 Years Of Anguish, Broken Promises
-
News6 months agoNASRE Promises Support To Daily Times Group Business Editor, Oseni, Over Serious Road Accident
-
News8 months agoWike’s Enviable Road Construction Method along Nyanya- Maraba Highway