Nigerian-British businessman dies after cosmetic procedure in Thailand

A 43-year-old Nigerian-British businessman and social media influencer, Igho Ubiribo, has died following complications from a cosmetic procedure he underwent during a holiday in Thailand with his wife.

Ubiribo died in March after receiving injections containing 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine at a clinic in Bangkok, according to evidence presented at an inquest at Inner West London Coroners’ Court.

Reports said he developed chest pain and lost consciousness twice while receiving a massage with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, shortly after the procedure.

He was rushed to Sukhumvit Hospital in Bangkok, where doctors diagnosed him with a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that obstructs blood flow in the lungs. He subsequently lost consciousness before a recommended CT scan could be performed.

Medical personnel reportedly attempted to revive him for more than 100 minutes, but he died in the early hours of March 6. He was buried in London in May, and his funeral was attended by Nigerian singer Davido and other prominent personalities.

A postmortem examination conducted in the United Kingdom found cellular material in his lungs that matched the hyaluronic acid used during the procedure, supporting the diagnosis that the injection was linked to the pulmonary embolism.

Coroner Jean Harkin concluded that Ubiribo died as a result of a cosmetic procedure carried out abroad, with pulmonary embolism caused by the injection of hyaluronic acid into the penis recorded as the cause of death.

Medical experts have previously warned about the potential risks associated with penile filler procedures. Professor Vaibhav Modgil, an NHS andrology specialist and consultant urological surgeon, said such procedures could have devastating consequences for patients.