Retired Police Officer’s Health Deteriorates After Denial of Urgent Liver Treatment by Abia Prison Officials Doctors Now Give 50% Survival Chance

Blessing Okoro, a retired police officer and founder of Faith, Hope, and Charity Orphanage in Aba, Abia State, is battling for her life after suffering severe health complications while in detention.

Okoro, who was arrested in May 2025 over allegations of child trafficking, reportedly endured delays in receiving urgent medical care despite a hospital referral recommending immediate transfer to a specialized facility in Enugu.

Her family claims that officials at the Aba Medium Security Custodial Centre refused the transfer until she was granted bail days later. During the delay, her condition worsened, with medical reports revealing multiple intra-abdominal tumors, liver enlargement, and intestinal obstruction.

Four hospitals reportedly rejected her case, and the hospital that eventually agreed to operate has given her a 50% chance of survival.

Okoro’s family insists the charges are false and stem from a tenancy dispute, further alleging that she was denied proper care and physically abused in custody.

The Abia State Police maintain that she and her husband operated an unregistered orphanage and were found with 12 children from various villages. Investigations are ongoing.