Collins Orji, a fake medical doctor who opened and maintained a medical centre in Ngarabe, Ekureku, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State, has been arrested by police and is being held in Obubra prison, as ordered by a magistrate’s court in Itigidi, still in Abi LGA.
It was gathered that Orji has been operating a hospital without a license, both for himself and the facility, Excellent Hospital.
The findings revealed that Orji ran Excellent Hospital in Ngarabe, Ekureku, until the Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti-Quackery paid him a visit on July 11, 2024.
According to reports, further investigations by the task team discovered that Orji formerly ran a medical facility in Ugep known as St. Collins Hospital, in Ibogo, Biase LGA, as Common Wealth Clinic, and presently Excellent Hospital, Ngarabe Ekureku, in Abi LGA.
According to Dr. Dan Abubakar, Head of the Cross River State Task Force on Health Quality and Anti-Quackery, when they met Orji with a group of police officers, they realised he was not a medical doctor and lacked medical training.
“When the task force got to the facility with a team of police officers from Itigidi, they met Orji, and after interacting with him, it was discovered that he was not a medical doctor and had no medical training.
“His facility was also not registered with the state government,” a source told newsmen.
In a video clip, Orji claimed to have been trained as a homoeopathic doctor but was unable to substantiate this claim.
“He had no license to practice medicine and surgery in Nigeria and did not attend any medical institution, but carried out surgical operations on his patients in his consulting room and had no qualified nurses.”
Speaking further, Abubakar said: “Satisfied that he had no registrable credentials with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, we sealed Excellent Hospital, Ngarabe, Ekureku, before we took him to the police station, Itigidi.”
Orji, who appeared before the Magistrate Court in Itigidi, was given bail.
He was placed in prison detention at Obubra prison after failing to meet the bail conditions, and the case was adjourned to August 9, 2024, for further hearing.
