Rivers shuts five hospitals, arrests seven over child trafficking, quackery

Rivers State authorities have taken decisive action, shutting down five hospitals and a patent drug store across Port Harcourt and other areas due to alleged child trafficking and unlicensed operations. Seven individuals, including the operators of these facilities, have been arrested.

The crackdown followed a discreet investigation by the state's Anti-Quackery Committee, supported by security agencies, which acted on public reports. Vincent Wachukwu, Chairman of the committee and Permanent Secretary Designate of the Ministry of Health, revealed that some of the closed facilities were run by non-medical personnel and unqualified individuals who performed surgeries and administered drugs without proper credentials.

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For the latest one, at EL DONA Hospital, Elekahia in Port Harcourt. The proprietor was operating without registration. She was involved in child trafficking. All members of staff of the facility were immediately arrested for prosecution. We have sealed that facility, and then we are going to support the police to ensure she is prosecuted.

One particularly disturbing case involves an operator at EL DONA Hospital who allegedly engaged in child trafficking. Investigations suggest this individual harbored dead babies, which were then exchanged for live newborns after deceiving mothers into believing their own infants had died during delivery. The babies were subsequently sold. The sealed facilities include PLARIV Hospital, Good Shepherd Hospital, Blessed GoodNews Clinic, ESTATE Clinic, and EL DONA Hospital, along with a patent drug shop.

Wachukwu stated that the ministry will assist the police in prosecuting all suspects. The committee also found instances where operators offered training for aspiring nurses without possessing the necessary qualifications. The government emphasized its commitment to ensuring all arrested individuals face prosecution.

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Part of what we gathered from the investigation is that this woman is involved in child trafficking. Women go there to deliver. She has dead babies that she will exchange and tell the woman, maybe if you didn’t hear your baby cry, she will tell them their baby died and will show the dead baby in exchange for their babies and will end up selling the real, live babies.