The Cross River State Police Command has taken a 33-year-old theatre assistant, Otu Bassey, into protective custody following an unauthorized hernia surgery performed on a 60-year-old man in Ekori, Yakurr Local Government Area.
According to the command’s spokesperson, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, the patient, identified as Ukpan, underwent the procedure at a private clinic on September 8, 2026, and was discharged on the same day. Three days later, on September 11, the patient’s health deteriorated, prompting Bassey to rush him to the Ugep General Hospital around 4:00 p.m.
Tensions flared later that evening at about 9:00 p.m. when family members, suspicious of the suspect’s medical credentials, attempted to lynch him. Police officers stationed at the facility swiftly intervened, rescued the suspect from the mob, and transferred him to the Ugep Police Division.
During preliminary interrogation, Bassey reportedly claimed he performed the operation in the absence of his superior. Authorities are currently verifying his qualifications and investigating whether the patient’s severe complications directly stem from the procedure.
The police command emphasized that no final conclusions regarding criminal liability have been reached pending comprehensive medical reports and further investigations. Meanwhile, the public has been strongly cautioned against resorting to jungle justice.
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