Idara Bassey, the Lagos State medical doctor previously declared wanted, is now in police custody following the death of a 36-year-old patient who underwent buttock enlargement surgery at her Lekki Phase 1 clinic.
It was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, on Tuesday, that Bassey is currently being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Panti.
Bassey had previously fled after Abiola passed away during a buttock enlargement procedure at her clinic on August 26, 2024.
The Brazilian Butt Lift is a cosmetic surgery procedure that involves removing fat from other parts of the body and injecting it into the buttocks to enhance their fullness and create a rounder shape.
Numerous medical experts have warned about the potential risks of the procedure, particularly following the death of a 31-year-old British woman, Melissa Kerr, during a similar surgery at the Medicana Kadikoy Hospital in Istanbul in 2019.
A BBC report in 2023 revealed that the deceased had not been given enough information to properly assess the risks of the BBL surgery before travelling to undergo the procedure.
Despite warnings about the risks of the enlargement procedure, more videos have surfaced online of women, especially in Lagos, claiming to have successfully undergone the surgery.
While the police confirmed to our correspondent that the nurse who administered the injection to the late 36-year-old had been arrested, the clinic’s owner became a suspect in the case, particularly following her disappearance.
Reports disclosed that Abiola had visited the clinic for the buttock enlargement procedure, which tragically ended in her death after a nurse, allegedly acting under Bassey’s orders, administered an injection.
Earlier, she had left her home in the Diamond Estate, Sangotedo, in the Ibeju Lekki area and directed her driver to take her to the clinic for the procedure.
After the nurse allegedly administered the injection on the doctor’s instructions, the driver who brought Abiola to the clinic reported to the police that she had lost consciousness and began gasping for breath.
When contacted on Tuesday about the progress of the investigation, Hundeyin stated that the doctor is now with the SCID.
Asked whether Bassey would face charges and on what grounds, he said answers to these questions would be provided “after the investigation.”
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