For 10 years, he paraded himself as a doctor, treating people and making money. Then, the bubble burst. Today, Ibukun Ojo, 50, is in the net of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), on Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. His offence: He is a suspected quack medical practitioner.
He was not alone in the business. His alleged accomplice, Steve Olusoji Fakolujo, is on the run.
It was gathered that Ojo, who hails from Arigidi-Akoko in Ondo State, was studying medicine at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State before he dropped out.
According to the police, after his exit from OAU in the early 80s, he came to Lagos and one of his friends assisted him to secure a job in a hospital as a clinical assistant. However, after some years, Ojo established his own hospital, Mount Zion Clinic, at 2, Mukandasi Street, Oja-Oke, Mafoluku-Oshodi, Lagos. He had reportedly operated the clinic for about five years.
Police operatives, who sealed off the clinic, said the place had no sign to identify it as a hospital, adding that patients had to go through some rigours to locate it.
According to them, the hospital has four “dirty beds” for admission, and a dingy tiny room which he used as operating theatre. They suspected that he used the theatre for quack abortions and may have also killed some people in the process.
Confirming the arrest, the Public Relations Officer of SFU Ngozi Isintume-Agu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said on March 6, a petition was received from the Canadian High Commission, alleging suspected fraud against Mount Zion Clinic/Hospital.
Isintume-Agu said the petitioner stated that “Steve Olasoji Fakolujo, a Nigerian resident in Canada, came to Nigeria some time in May, 2012 and approached Ojo who parades himself as a qualified medical doctor, to assist him procure some forged medical bills which would enable him claim health insurance from the Canadian Government.”
She noted that Ojo obliged him with forged documents covering “consultation, drugs and medications, ambulance fees, accommodation and feeding and miscellaneous expenses totaling N89,989,742.46.” Fakolujo, the petition added, “travelled back to Canada and presented the forged documents for the claims.”
When Ojo was arrested, it was gathered that he made “useful” statements to the police and also confessed that he forged the documents for Fakolujo with claim No: 216316 for N1,500 and his unregistered hospital’s letter-head and payment receipt.
Recovered from the suspect were two stethoscopes, some cards and patients’ case notes and some other “funny” hospital equipment.
Isintume-Agu said investigation was ongoing, adding that the suspect would soon be charged to court.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of SFU, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, called on the public to beware of quack doctors.
