Operatives of the Cross River State Police Command have arrested a 33-year-old
man, Otu Bassey, for allegedly posing as a doctor and performing an unauthorised
hernia surgery on a 60-year-old man in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government Area of
the state.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Eitokpah, who confirmed
the incident in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday in Calabar, the
state capital, said the incident occurred at a private clinic in Ekori after the patient,
identified simply as Ukpan, reportedly developed complications following the
procedure.

The statement read, “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.

“Preliminary information indicates that the patient underwent the procedure on September 8, 2026 and was discharged the same day. On September 11, 2026, at about 4 pm, he was reportedly taken to Ugep General Hospital by Bassey Otu Bassey, ‘M’, 33 years, following the reported complications,” the statement said.

The statement further said chaos started at about 9 pm when the patient’s family members, suspicious of the suspect’s qualifications, attempted to attack him at the hospital.

PUNCH.