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Peju Ugboma: What Happened on Day 1 of FCCPC’s Hearing
A panel of public enquiry set up by the Federal Competition and Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate the death of Peju Ugboma, a Lagos-based chef who died after a surgery at Premier Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos, sat for the first time on Tuesday.
The hearing, which started around 10am, had in attendance Moyosore Onigbanjo, the Lagos State Attorney General; Babatunde Irukere, CEO of FCCPC and chairman of the panel; and Ijoma Ugboma, the deceased’s husband, among others.

PEJU’S HUSBAND’S TESTIMONY
Witnesses from Premier Hospital, however, refused to show up. Their absence became known when Osinowo Omololu, a medical doctor in the hospital, was called upon and the hospital’s counsel said he was out of the country.
Earlier, Ijoma, the deceased’s husband, had blamed her death partly on the lack of adequate care by doctors in the aftermath of the surgery. According to him, the gynecologist who carried out the surgery became unavailable shortly after he left the theatre.
“I saw him before the surgery, or around the time of the surgery. And the next time I saw him was when he signed ‘outstanding’ over her medical certificate of death,” he said.
Ijoma added that he was not informed that the surgery could have serious side effects.
“I wasn’t told any such thing,” he said. “If we had been told prior to surgery that there was the possibility of a kidney failure, we would have opted out.
“The fibroid for her was not a life and death matter. If she hadn’t’ done a surgery, she wouldn’t have died today or…’’
Peju died of internal bleeding on April 25. She had been admitted into the hospital on Thursday, April 22, in preparation for a fibroid surgery billed to take place the following morning.
After the surgery, she had complained of abdominal pain and despite hints from a UK-based gynecologist that she might be bleeding internally, doctors at Premier Hospital reportedly refused to take any actions to that effect and did little as her condition deteriorated.
ONE MILLION NAIRA DEMAND AT THE POINT OF DEATH
Peju’s husband had deposited over a million naira to Premier before the surgery, but another N1m was demanded when the deceased was in a very critical condition.
“I made a further payment to Premier on the Saturday before she was moved to the ICU. I found that a bit insensitive because I had just made a payment a day before and for the fact that she was in their care already,” Ijoma told the panel.
“The ICU wasn’t part of the plan and my thought process was if I didn’t have the money to pay, would they have just left her where she was or would they not have treated her and we would talk about money later?”
A key Premier Hospital witness was said to have resigned, and was represented by another worker who couldn’t give answers to many of the questions asked.
Irukera expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of Premier Hospital’s witnesses without adequate notification, despite all efforts by the FCCPC to ensure there was no communication deficit.
He stated that although the hospital received a notice on the hearing as early as June 7, the commission did not receive any information on Osinowo’s availability until at exactly 6:44pm on Saturday, June 12.
“The record also shows that on that same Saturday, the commission, which is a government entity, by the way, responded, asking for information to clarify his travel itinerary,” Irukera said.
“Then we didn’t receive a response, and then yesterday, a public holiday, at 7am again, the commission sent a reminder both to Dr. Osinowo and all the relevant parties. Apparently, both the commission’s responses on Saturday and Monday 14, have received no response.”
The counsel to Premier, however, said the hospital wrote the commission to ask if Osinowo could testify virtually, and that she wasn’t aware of a response to that effect. She further stated that the hospital did not receive a request for Osinowo’s travel itinerary.
The counsel also revealed that some of the invited witnesses from Premier were initially present at the sitting, but left after the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) informed them they would lose their licences if they stayed.
PREMIER OUT, EVERCARE IN
Despite the said caution from MDCN and NMA, two doctors of Evercare Hospital where Peju spent her last hour showed up at the hearing.
Shortly before Peju’s death, Premier had decided to move her to another hospital where she could have a CT scan and dialysis. While in Evercare Hospital, it was detected at some point that she no longer had a pulse. The hospital commenced an emergency CPR, which eventually failed, and she was pronounced dead at about 2pm.
WHY IS PREMIER CLINGING ON TO PEJU’S MEDICAL RECORD
Following Peju’s death, Evercare returned part of the money deposited for her treatment. However, Premier neither returned a dime nor honoured a request for the deceased’s medical record.
“We specifically unambiguously requested for a full medical record, the same way we did for other hospitals where she had been in the last 12 years. And everybody else has released them to us, except Premier,” Ijoma had said.
“And I will state it again that even the case summary that was sent to us was neither signed nor has anybody’s name at the end of it, or date on it.”
The chairman of the panel, however, said it was inappropriate to hear Evecare’s testimony before Premier’s. Thus, he adjourned the sitting.
Foundation For Investigative Journalism
News
Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
News
Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
News
Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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