RIVERS GOVERNMENT ARRESTS FOUR SUSPECTS, SEALS EIGHT HEALTH FACILITIES OVER MEDICAL QUACKERY

The Rivers State Ministry of Health has arrested four suspects and sealed eight illegal health facilities across the state over alleged medical quackery, impersonation, and operating without official regulatory registration.

The enforcement operation, carried out under the state’s ongoing anti-quackery crackdown, follows the recent closure of 21 unregistered medical facilities across various local government areas.

ILLEGAL SURGERY INTERCEPTED IN RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT

During the inspection exercise, taskforce operatives uncovered an unregistered medical center operating secretly within a residential compound at No. 27 Victoria Street, Old Port Harcourt Township.

• Surgeon Impersonation Caught Red-Handed: Operatives caught two suspects—identified as Mr. Ataisi Jephtha and Mrs. Mgboawaji Edwin—in an unhygienic room attempting to perform a complex thyroidectomy (goitre removal surgery) on an unsuspecting patient. Jephtha had been parading himself as a trained surgeon.

• Facilities Shut Down: Alongside the residential surgical setup, enforcement officers sealed five unregistered hospitals and two diagnostic laboratory centers for operating far below minimum safety and operational standards.

• Prosecution and Regulatory Sanctions: All four arrested individuals have been handed over to law enforcement authorities for immediate prosecution.

MINISTRY WARNS COLLUDING PROFESSIONALS

Reacting to the arrests, the Director of Medical Services at the ministry, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, warned that licensed health practitioners found collaborating with or backing illegal centers will face severe disciplinary sanctions, including referral to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

The state government urged residents to remain vigilant and verify the registration status of medical clinics and practitioners before seeking care.