The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a theatre assistant over an alleged unauthorised hernia surgery performed on a 60-year-old man at a private clinic in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government Area of the state.
The patient, identified only as Ukpan, reportedly developed complications after undergoing the procedure on September 8, 2026, and was discharged from the clinic the same day.
According to a statement by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, the patient was taken to Ugep General Hospital on September 11 by a 33-year-old man, Bassey Otu Bassey, following the reported complications.
The statement said trouble started at the hospital around 9pm when members of the patient’s family allegedly attempted to attack Bassey over concerns about his professional status and his alleged involvement in the surgery.
Police officers reportedly intervened and took him into protective custody at the Ugep Police Division to prevent the situation from escalating.
During preliminary questioning, the suspect allegedly told investigators that he was a theatre assistant who performed the procedure in the absence of his principal.
The police said they were verifying his professional status and qualifications, as well as the circumstances under which the surgery was conducted.
The command is also investigating the nature and cause of the patient’s complications and whether they were connected to the procedure.
The police cautioned that no conclusion had been reached on criminal liability or the cause of the patient’s condition, pending the outcome of investigations and relevant medical and professional findings.
The command also urged members of the public to desist from mob action and jungle justice, assuring that anyone found culpable on the basis of credible evidence would be made to face the law.