Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
An illegal blood bank that allegedly targets underaged children as blood donors has been discovered in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
Two persons, Jude Nwabueze and Chidimma Chukwuma, have been arrested in connection with the illegal blood bank business in the town.
Ikengaonline learned that the suspects operate a centre named More-Life Laboratory and Blood Bank, situated at B5 Freedom Plaza, by High Tension Road, Arroma Junction, Awka.
The centre allegedly coerces underage children into selling their blood for financial rewards without their parents’ consent. They met their Waterloo when three underage children were lured to trade their blood for money.
One of the underaged victims, who spoke to our correspondent, recounted his experience: “We were at our usual spot at the temp site last Friday when someone came and told us about a place in Arroma where money is shared. He asked us to follow him, and because the place is close, three of us joined him in the vehicle and were taken to the lab office.”
The victim alleged that the suspects took their blood and paid them N7,000 each. He said one of them named Kosisochukwu collapsed and started vomiting after donating his blood but was later revived.
Kosisochukwu told our correspondent that he needed the money to cut his hair after he was sent home that Friday for carrying bushy hair to school. He also disclosed that apart from the loss of consciousness at the clinic, he also collapsed multiple times at different locations due to weakness occasioned by the blood shortage.
The mother of one of the victims, Ukamaka Okoye, a 38-year-old petty trader, expressed concern and agony over her son’s health.
“I had thought it was mere sickness, but when he returned in the evening and was staggering, I asked him what the problem was, but he refused to talk. I waited till the following day to ask his colleagues, who disclosed to me that he was taken to where his blood was collected.”
During interrogation after their arrest, the owner of the laboratory facility, Mr. Jude Nwabueze, denied knowing that the victims were underage, insisting that the cases were handled by his lab attendant in his absence.
