Fake medical doctor nabbed and detained in Cross River

A fake medical doctor, Collins Orji, who opened a medical facility in Ngarabe, Ekureku, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State has been arrested by the police and is being detained in Obubra prison.

Orji operated a hospital without a licence for himself and for the facility.

He operated Excellent Hospital, Ngarabe, Ekureku until the Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti Quackery visited his facility on July 11, 2024. 

Further investigations by the task force revealed that Orji had in the past operated a medical facility in Ugep known as St. Collins Hospital, in Ibogo, Biase LGA. He also ran Common Wealth Clinic and finally Excellent Hospital, Ngarabe Ekureku in Abi LGA, before his arrest. 

According to the Head of Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti Quackery, Dr. Dan Abubakar, when they met Orji with a team of police officers, they discovered he was not a medical doctor and had no medical training. 

His facility was also not registered with the state government.

It was also alleged that he had no licence to practise medicine and surgery in Nigeria and did not attend any medical institution, but carried out surgical operations on his patients in his consulting room, without qualified nurses.

In a video circulating online, Orji is seen claiming he is a trained homeopathic doctor but he had no proof to validate this claim.

Speaking further, Abubakar said: “Satisfied that he had no registrable credentials with Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, we sealed Excellent Hospital, Ngarabe, Ekureku, before we took him to the police station, Itigidi.”

Orji appeared before the Magistrate Court, Itigidi, and was granted bail. 

Unable to meet the bail conditions, he was remanded in prison custody at the Obubra prison and the matter adjourned till August 9, 2024, for further hearing.