The Lagos State Government has ordered a postmortem examination into the deaths of nine-month-old identical twins, Testimony and Timothy Alozie, who reportedly died within 24 hours of receiving routine immunisation at a primary healthcare centre in the state.
The case drew widespread public attention after the twins’ father, Mr Samuel Alozie, also known as Promise Samuel on TikTok, shared emotional videos online showing the bodies of his children in separate body bags and alleging that they fell critically ill shortly after the vaccination.
Father’s account of events
In a follow-up video posted on Thursday, Mr Alozie said he took the twins for routine immunisation on the morning of December 24, 2025, describing them as healthy and active before the visit.
According to him, the babies became unusually weak after the injections.
“They could not eat, they could not play, they could not even disturb as they used to. They were just weak,” he said.
He explained that a nurse at the facility advised him to give the children paracetamol if they developed a fever. He said the medication was administered and the twins were also bathed in cold water, but their condition continued to deteriorate.
The twins reportedly died on the morning of December 25, with Mr Alozie stating that both children passed away at about the same time.
Questions over care and explanations
Mr Alozie said the twins had received all routine vaccines since birth without complications and questioned why this particular visit ended in tragedy. He also noted that the nurse who administered the injections was not the regular health worker who usually attended to his children.
He rejected an initial explanation reportedly given by staff at the health centre that the deaths may have been linked to “food bacteria.”
“Food that I’ve been giving them from one month to nine months did not kill them,” he said, expressing disbelief at the claim.
Government response and investigation
Confirming the development, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Ibrahim Mustafa, said both the police and the state government had commenced investigations and that a postmortem had been ordered.
“We sympathise deeply with the family and understand their grief. However, it is important that the right processes are followed and the right conclusions reached,” Mustafa said in a phone interview.
He added that the vaccine involved had been administered to many other children before and after the twins without any reported incident, and cautioned against drawing conclusions before the investigation is completed.
The bodies of the twins have been deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) morgue, and officials say the findings of the postmortem will be made public once concluded.
“Once the postmortem findings are out, we will communicate appropriately,” Mustafa said.
Family seeks justice
Despite assurances from authorities, Mr Alozie said he fears the investigation may not be impartial, describing the situation as “government to government.” He has appealed publicly for legal and human rights support, saying he lacks the financial means to pursue the matter alone.
“I need justice for these children,” he said.
Health authorities have urged the public to remain calm as investigations continue, while reiterating the importance of routine immunisation in preventing life-threatening childhood diseases.
Source: Africa Publicity
