Police nab fake doctor in Edo State

The Edo State Police have arrested a 46-year-old man, Osaze Okungbowa. He is accused of pretending to be a doctor, delivering babies, and trafficking newborns.

Okungbowa was caught after a woman named Princess Oke reported that her baby, born under his care, was missing.

While being displayed on Friday at the Edo State Police Command headquarters, Okungbowa admitted he never attended any college. He said he trained as an auxiliary nurse.

Okungbowa claimed he worked at a hospital but denied acting as a medical doctor. He said Princess Oke's baby died while being moved to another place because the child needed an incubator.

"I am a fake doctor. I was hired as a manager in a private hospital. The owner employs both qualified and unqualified staff. A man named Mr Godwin brought a woman who wanted to deliver. I told them I could not handle the delivery because I was not feeling well that day.

"I called a woman to help with the delivery at the facility. The woman I called took the pregnant lady to her home for delivery. Mr Godwin later called me and said the baby was not okay. He asked me to take the baby to where it could be kept in an incubator.

"I took the baby, but while moving it to the hospital, the baby died. Mr Godwin said we should bury the baby. We buried the baby at an Anglican cemetery."

Okungbowa insisted he did not sell the baby and confirmed that he only completed secondary school.

But the baby's mother shared a different story. She said she heard her baby cry before she lost consciousness after giving birth.

She said, "Okungbowa was the one who induced me around 11 a.m. A midwife told me to go to their house to deliver. After I delivered, I heard the baby cry before I passed out.

"When I woke up, I only saw the placenta. The doctor had run away. I was told the baby died. I believe the child is not dead. He said the child was premature. How can a baby born after 35 weeks of pregnancy be premature?"

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, stated the suspect would be charged in court once the investigation is complete.