The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 33-year-old man, Otu Bassey, for allegedly posing as a medical doctor and carrying out a hernia operation on a 60-year-old man at a private clinic in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government Area.
The patient, identified only as Ukpan, reportedly developed complications three days after the procedure, prompting his transfer to Ugep General Hospital.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement issued in Calabar on Sunday.
According to the police, the operation was performed on September 8, 2026, after which the patient was discharged the same day.
The command said the patient’s condition deteriorated on September 11, leading Bassey to take him to Ugep General Hospital at about 4pm.
The police stated, “The Cross River State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding an alleged unauthorised hernia surgery performed on Ukpan, surname withheld, ‘m’, 60 years, at a private clinic in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government Area, after the patient reportedly developed complications following the procedure.”
Tension reportedly rose at the hospital later that night when members of the patient’s family, who questioned Bassey’s medical credentials, allegedly attempted to attack him.
Police officers at the facility intervened and took the suspect into protective custody at the Ugep Police Division.
The command subsequently began verifying Bassey’s professional qualifications and his role in the procedure.
During preliminary questioning, the suspect allegedly claimed he was a theatre assistant and had performed the operation while his principal was absent.
The police said, “The police are currently verifying his professional status and qualifications, as well as the circumstances under which the procedure was conducted.”
The command added that medical personnel were examining the patient’s condition to establish whether the complications were connected to the surgery.
It stressed that the investigation was still ongoing and that no determination had been made regarding the suspect’s criminal liability.
The police also appealed to members of the public to avoid taking the law into their hands, assuring that appropriate legal action would be taken against anyone found culpable after the investigation.
