The Zone 16 command of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested a man identified as Doubara Esamasuode, who has been operating as a medical doctor without a license in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The suspect, who ran his illicit practice under the guise of St. Maximilian Medical Centre located at Winners Junction in the Etegwe area, was paraded before the media during a press briefing on Thursday, August 29, 2024.
According to SP Emonena Gunn, the spokesperson for Zone 16, Esamasuode was arrested on August 25, 2024, by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department's Surveillance and Intelligence unit.
During a search of the premises, law enforcement officers recovered a range of medical supplies, including injection syringes, various drugs, hospital equipment, and 200 copies of ultrasound reports.
Also found was an enlarged photograph of what was later identified as a fake convocation picture.
SP Gunn revealed that Doubara Esamasuode has confessed to several charges, including operating as a fake medical doctor, running an illegal medical facility, forgery, and impersonation.
He stressed that this arrest sends a strong message that criminal activities will not be tolerated in the zone, and added that the investigation is ongoing, with the suspect expected to be charged to court soon.
The spokesperson also urged the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with law enforcement agencies by providing timely information that could assist in apprehending criminal elements.
One of Doubara Esamasuode's victims, who requested anonymity, shared her distressing experience with the fake doctor.
She recounted how she had been referred to him by a relative, believing that his treatments could help her conceive.
"Trying to get pregnant. I decided to give it a try. He checked me and said my body is okay, that I was going to conceive in three months. I will go for a scan. My initial payment was N30,000," she narrated.
"He gave me an injection and gave me seven days, calculating my fertile window and told me that I should meet with my husband, which I did religiously. After that he told me that I was pregnant and gave me a tablet which I later came to find out that it is what ceased my period and not because I was pregnant.
"The name of the tablet is primolut N. He asked me to take it for three months after which I should go for a scan. After the three months, I went for a scan and it was negative and he told me that some results does not always show in first three months, because of the type of treatment and injections used for the process, that I should give it sometime and that it was going to reflect in the scan.
"After waiting for some time, I noticed that there was no progress and I started bleeding. He referred me to someone else to massage me to stop the bleeding, which I went for and I paid N70,000 for that treatment.
"After that he made mention that the delivery is going to cost N5.6m since I am carrying twins, which raised some concerns and I started researching about it. That was when I found out that the drug was just stopping my period and that my period did not cease because of pregnancy.
"I went for a separate scan without telling him. I went for a trans-vaginal scan and they said even if the pregnancy is a week old the scan will be able to detect it. I told him I am not pregnant and there was nobody hiding anywhere. He said it is because it is a cryptic pregnancy. I asked him if cryptic means the woman would not be aware that she is pregnant? He kept on giving excuses.
"At some point, an insider in the hospital told me that I need a particular drug for delivery which will cost N5.6m. Like he said before and the doctor does not have the drugs for now. So we have to go to Port Harcourt.
"We went there and it was the same story that I was pregnant with twins and delivery will cost N5.6m. The more I researched about it, the more I became convinced that it was not real. Though they have equipment, it is like a normal hospital but we saw no certificate and picture frame of the doctor. So we decided to pull out and went to FMC to flush my system."
Another victim also came forward, detailing how she nearly lost her life after following the fake doctor's instructions.
"I took the drugs the doctor prescribed for me, after my period ceased for six months and all of a sudden I bled to a point that I felt I was going to pass out," she explained.
When confronted with the allegations, Doubara Esamasuode admitted to his actions but claimed that the photograph in question was mistakenly labeled as a convocation picture by the photographer.
He also confirmed his use of the medical equipment in his possession, acknowledging his status as a fake doctor.
He pleaded for mercy, citing an accident that had prevented him from completing his education at the University of Abuja in 2019.
"For the medical items, I make use of them, I am a fake doctor. I started this business in 2019 when I got admission into the University of Abuja, but could not continue the school because of an accident," he said.
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