Police in Abuja have arrested a fake doctor identified as Charles George, for treating COVID-19 patients in the country’s capital.
His arrest has been described as a major breakthrough in moves to sanitize the countries health sector.
Police detectives from the office of the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, nabbed 60-year-old man at Block 1, Julius Berger Junior Staff Quarters in Kubwa.
He was described as a ‘regular customer’ of the FCDA Police Station and Kubwa Area Command Headquarters as he been arrested several times for cases involving, mixed medicine and extortion of his clients since 2016.
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria confirmed the arrest and described it as a major breakthrough.
The Deputy Registrar and Head of the Inspectorate Department of the MDCN, Dr. Victor Gbenro speaking about the arrest, said;
The arrest of the suspected fake medical/alternative medicine practitioner, by name Dr. Charles George, at his Kubwa premises is a major breakthrough for the MDCN under the leadership of the Registrar, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi.
Acting on an intelligence report from the IG intelligence team, the Inspectorate Department of the MDCN as directed by the registrar effected the successful arrest of the fake doctor, who has been defrauding unsuspecting members of the public and posing as a member of the NCDC COVID-19 team.
He added;
The suspect is alleged to have been practising alternative medicine without registration or licence from the MDCN, which is statutorily mandated to regulate the practice of medical, dental and alternative medicine in Nigeria.
Gbenro stressed;
Investigation revealed that his practice is not known or registered by the FCDA Private Health Facility Registration Agency. The police have commenced further investigation and prosecution of the suspect. This is one among the several efforts of the council at sanitising the medical profession in the country.
