quack doctor uses friend’s licence for more than nine years...SEE PHOTO

Firstclass newsline learnt that a senior official of the Federal
Ministry of Health, Martins Ugwu, who has been practising as a
'medical doctor' for over nine years, has been arrested by the police
upon discovery that he stole the licence from his friend.
Ugwu, who is a Senior Medical Officer II on Grade Level 13, was found
to have impersonated his friend, Dr. George Daniel, who is undergoing
a residency training programme in Jos, Plateau State.
He allegedly stole the licence from his friend for whom he was best
man during a wedding in 2006. They both hail from Orukpa in the
Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Firstclass newsline learnt that Ugwu, who was due to be promoted to an
Assistant Director in the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, a
parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health, has been working in the
civil service since 2006 under the name, Dr. George Davidson Daniel,
until he was indicted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as
an impostor.
Ugwu who was arrested by the police last Thursday, was, however,
released a few hours later, fueling speculations that the policemen
might have been compromised.
Ugwu's arrest was sequel to an investigation by the MDCN, which
registers all Nigerian doctors and regulates their practice after
investigations, the MDCN uncovered two Dr. Daniels- the same name on
two separate identity photographs.
The MDCN in a letter to the Chairman, Federal Civil Service
Commission, dated June 4, 2015, signed by the Registrar, Dr. A.
Ibrahim, described Ugwu as an impostor, adding that the case had been
reported to the police for further investigation and action.
It reads, "Records available to the council revealed that this "Dr."
Davidson Daniel George is an impostor as he is impersonating another
Dr. Davidson Daniel who is the genuine doctor and he currently
undertakes his residency training in Jos, Plateau State.
"The council summoned and interacted with the genuine doctor who gave
some vital information on the impostor. The council has reported the
matter to the law enforcement agency as a case of impersonation; with
the genuine doctor deposing to a statement with regard to what
happened between him and the fake doctor whose real name is Mr.
Martins Ugwu.
"As it is, Mr. Martins Ugwu is an impostor. You may therefore wish to
take further actions to deal with this matter in accordance with the
provisions of the law."
The MDCN said it was dissatisfied with the manner with which the
police handled Ugwu's case and promised to take up the matter with the
Inspector-General of Police.
The council cited a previous arrest of a fake doctor arraigned for
prosecution, insisting that the prosecuting police officers had never
called the council's investigators to court as witnesses while the
case stalled in court.
The council said it was investigating and prosecuting about 40 cases
of quacks in courts.
Ironically, Ugwu was part of a government committee that met more than
200 contingents returning from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea where
they had volunteered to help fight Ebola under an African Union
mission, last week in Abuja.
The Head of Inspectorate Department, MDCN, Dr. Henry Okwuokenye, who
led the team of investigators, confirmed Ugwu's arrest to a source on
Sunday in Abuja.
He said, "When we looked at our archives, we discovered there was
actually somebody that bears the name, Dr. George Daniel, but the
picture is not the same as the one that was sent to us. The Daniel
under investigation had a photocopy of a practice licence and a
provisional licence- the first temporary documentation for new doctors
valid for only two years- but the unique folio number matched a real
Dr. Daniel on MDCN files."
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Linus Awute, fingered
Ugwu as the head of a gang "scandalising and intimidating heads of
agencies under the ministry and extorting money from them."
He explained that the impostor had been handed over to the police,
noting that the process of his sacking from the civil service had
commenced. She said all the monies he had received as salaries would
be recovered.
Awute said, "We are making efforts to get the other members of his
(Ugwu's) gang. He has been on the payroll of the government all these
years but nemesis has caught up with him. He is the leader of a gang
that has been operating in the ministry, intimidating and extorting
money from heads of agencies under the ministry. They have approached
me to negotiate in the belief that money has come to the ministry to
be shared."
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri
Manzah, said the police were investigating the matter.
"The matter is under investigation, though the suspect has been
released on bail for now," he stated.
Firstclassnewsline.net