Fake Doctor Arrested in Edo After Woman Accuses Him of Missing Baby

Alleged Fake Doctor Arrested in Edo as Police Probe Complaint Over Newborn

A man accused of posing as a medical doctor has been arrested by the Edo State Police Command following a complaint linked to the delivery of a newborn at a private maternity facility in Benin City.

The suspect, identified by police as Osazee Okungbowa, 46, was presented to journalists on Friday alongside 31 other suspects arrested for various offences during recent security operations across Edo State.

Police said the arrest followed a report by a woman who alleged that her baby could not be accounted for after she was attended to at the health facility where Okungbowa reportedly worked. The complaint triggered an investigation that eventually led to his arrest.

Addressing journalists during the parade, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, described the operation as part of the command’s sustained crackdown on violent crimes and other criminal activities across the state.

According to the police commissioner, intelligence gathering and coordinated tactical operations carried out in recent weeks resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspects involved in different offences.

He disclosed that 45 suspects were apprehended during the period under review, including 15 suspected cultists, three armed robbery suspects, 11 murder suspects, and 14 persons being investigated over alleged rape and defilement cases.

Agbonika said the command has intensified intelligence-led policing to ensure kidnappers, cult groups, armed robbers and other criminal elements no longer find Edo State a safe haven.

He credited the achievements to the commitment of police personnel, collaboration with other security agencies and the continued support of residents who provide useful information to law enforcement.

“These achievements underscore our unwavering resolve to rid Edo State of criminal elements and demonstrate that the Command remains proactive, responsive, and relentless in confronting every form of violent crime,” the police commissioner said.

Responding to questions from journalists, Okungbowa admitted that he is not a licensed medical doctor but said he has worked in healthcare for several years after receiving training as an auxiliary nurse in 2003.

He explained that he manages Grace Health Nursery Maternity, where he said the proprietor employs both qualified and unqualified personnel.

According to the suspect, a man identified as Godwin brought a pregnant woman to the facility for delivery. However, he claimed he declined to handle the case because he was unwell at the time.

Okungbowa said he contacted another health worker to take over the delivery, which was eventually carried out the following day.

He further claimed that after the baby was delivered, the attending nurse informed those present that the newborn was premature and required urgent transfer to an incubator.

According to his account, the baby later died.

The suspect maintained that he was not directly involved in the delivery and denied any wrongdoing in connection with the case now under police investigation.

The Edo State Police Command has not announced any conclusion regarding the woman’s complaint, indicating that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the newborn and the suspect’s activities are still ongoing.

The command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing credible information that could assist security agencies in tackling crime across the state.