Doctor Arrested in Owerri after Accusing Rochas Okorocha of Human Organ Trafficking

Security operatives from the Police command in
Imo State have arrested an Owerri-based pro-life
medical practitioner, Dr Phillip Njemanze.
Njemanze is also the Chairman, Association of
General and Private Medical Practitioners in the
state.
Njemanze had, during a briefing on February 4
by medical doctors in the state accused
Governor Rochas Okorocha of participating in a
human organ trafficking cartel, an allegation the
state Commissioner for Information, Mr Chidi Ibe,
described as laughable and baseless.
At the briefing, while analysing Okorocha’s
earlier decision on the concession of existing
general hospitals and 27 others under con­
struction to unlicensed expatriate physicians,
Njemanze stated that with the flaws in the
newly-passed National Health Bill, the governor
may be collaborating with expatriate doctors to
run an organ trafficking cartel in the state.
Njemanze, who doubles as the Owerri
Archdiocese Chairman of Association of Catholic
Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, had about two
years ago, spearheaded the agitation that forced
the state government to reverse itself and
repeal the Imo Law No. 12 of 2012 popularly
known as the ‘Abortion Law’ for which prolife
groups in the state had accused Governor
Okorocha for legalising abortion in the state.
According to him, the Primary Health Care
centres have no business with organ transfer,
noting that section 48 and 51 of the National
Health Bill is about taking people’s organ with
waived consent, adding that Nigeria has been
targeted as a harvest base.
In recent times, Dr Njemanze said private
medical practice is in danger as the bill
advocates for their closure just as he
condemned the situation where the 27
committee members that deliberated over the
bill had 18 foreign members and described it as
international conspiracy and a treasonable
offence.
He demanded that all the people involved in the
passing of the National Health Scheme bill be
tried for criminal offence, saying the bill
facilitates human organ transfer and will create
dire consequences for the nation.
When contacted, the police Spokesman, DSP
Andrew Enwerem, said he was not aware of Nje­
manze’s arrest and queried if he was a politician
and why journalists were calling to confirm.
But sources at Njemanze’s hospital told
newsmen that he was whisked away by the
police to the state police headquarters.