Seven Arrested as Rivers Government Shuts Five Hospitals, Drug Store Over Alleged Child Trafficking, Quackery

The Rivers State Government has shut down five hospitals and a patent drug store across the state, arresting seven suspects over alleged child trafficking and operating without proper licences.

The facilities were sealed following an investigation by the state Anti-Quackery Committee with support from security agencies, acting on reports received from members of the public.

Chairman of the Anti-Quackery Committee and Permanent Secretary Designate of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, disclosed this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Wachukwu said some of the affected facilities were manned by non-medical personnel and unqualified individuals who performed surgeries, prescribed and administered drugs on unsuspecting members of the public.

He revealed that certain operators were offering training for intending nurses without possessing any requisite qualification to operate a health facility.

The sealed facilities include PLARIV Hospital in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Good Shepherd Hospital also in Omoku, Blessed GoodNews Clinic on Bonny Street in Port Harcourt, ESTATE Clinic in Okahia Estate, Obio/Akpor LGA, EL DONA Hospital in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, and a patent drug shop in Ndele, Emohua LGA.

Wachukwu disclosed that EL DONA Hospital’s proprietor was allegedly involved in child trafficking, operating without registration.

He described a disturbing practice at the facility, saying, “Part of what we gathered from the investigation is that this woman is involved in child trafficking. Women go there to deliver. She has dead babies that she will exchange and tell the woman, maybe if you didn’t hear your baby cry, she will tell them their baby died and will show the dead baby in exchange for their babies and will end up selling the real, live babies.”

“She has been doing this until now, but luck has run out for her. The ministry and the Rivers State Government will do everything to ensure this woman is prosecuted,” he added.

All staff members at the facility were immediately arrested for prosecution.

In another case, a 20-year-old girl who had just finished secondary school and wrote JAMB died after the operator of a patent drug shop in Ndele injected her with an unknown substance. The operator remains at large, and authorities are on her trail with help from the community.

At PLARIV Hospital in Omoku, investigators discovered the facility was being run by a non-medical practitioner from Plateau State who conducts surgery without training or licence. The proprietor was found running a training institution for auxiliary nurses with over 60 people under his tutelage.

Wachukwu said, “He conducts surgery without training or a licence. He runs a training institution for auxiliary nurses. When we got there, we found over 60 people under his training. We discovered that there was no certificate of standard, no certificate of registration.”

The proprietor was arrested and is being detained for prosecution.

Wachukwu expressed confidence in the progress of the fight against quackery, which has been ongoing for over two years. He said, “This fight has been on for the past two years and some months, and we have made some very significant progress.”

He compared the challenge to fighting corruption, stating, “You fight corruption, corruption fights back. That is what is happening in the health sector. But by God’s grace, doing the bit we are doing and with your support, I believe we are winning the race.”

The permanent secretary warned that any Non-Governmental Organisation, private hospital or religious body intending to carry out free medical outreach must obtain approval from the Ministry of Health. Anyone flouting this directive, he said, should be ready to face the music.

He commended the police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the media for their support.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating illegal medical practices across all 23 local government areas of the state. Residents were urged to patronise only licensed healthcare providers and report suspected cases of illegal medical practice to authorities.