The Rivers State Ministry of Health has shut down six medical facilities and arrested several suspected fake practitioners accused of running illegal health services across the state.
Vincent Wachukwu, who chairs the state’s Interprofessional Anti-Quackery Committee, said the operation is part of a campaign that has been running for over two years.
According to him, the effort has led to the closure of multiple hospitals and diagnostic centers, plus the arrest and prosecution of offenders.
Speaking to reporters in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, Wachukwu said the latest raids followed tips from whistleblowers and residents.
The enforcement teams targeted facilities in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Emohua, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs.
Here are some of the cases uncovered:
- Plariv Hospital, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni: Allegedly run by a non-medical practitioner who performed surgeries without a license. The facility was also being used to train more than 60 auxiliary nursing students.
- Good Shepherd Hospital, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni: Sealed after authorities found it was managed by Onanefe Sago, who reportedly used forged certificates from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to practice.
- Blessed Good News Clinic, Bonny Street: Closed for being run by people without medical qualifications. Investigators claim the operators rented professional certificates to get registered, carried out surgeries, and provided substandard care.
- Estate Clinic, Obio/Akpor: Sealed for lacking valid registration. Wachukwu noted the clinic had been closed before but reopened after the owners allegedly broke government seals.
- Patent medicine store, Ndele, Emohua: Shut down after a 20-year-old secondary school graduate died. The committee said an unqualified attendant administered an injection that caused her death.
- Eldona Hospital, Elekahia, Port Harcourt: Sealed following a Nigeria Police Force investigation. The proprietor is accused of child trafficking, including the illegal buying and selling of newborn babies.
Wachukwu also cautioned organizations planning medical outreaches to get prior approval from the Ministry of Health.
He added that all legally registered hospitals must now display their certificates and licenses so patients can easily identify genuine facilities.
