Meet Martins Ugwu Okpe, the fake doctor in Ministry of Health, Abuja

A man named Martins Ugwu Okpe who has been working in the Federal Ministry of Health on level 13 officer as a Medical Doctor impersonated his friend who is a medical doctor, Dr. George Davidson Daniel for nine years. Okpe was on Tuesday paraded in Abuja by the Nigeria Police Force on charges bordering on impersonation and other offences.

The end-game started for the fake doctor when the Federal Civil Service Commission called on the IG to begin criminal investigation and prosecution process on Okpe after it was noticed that he impersonated his friend to gained access into the Nigerian Civil Service.

When quizzed by the police, Okpe 44 and an indigene of Benue State confessed he never went to any higher institution. Speaking further, the accused disclosed that he impersonated his friend so as to expose the cankerworm and mess in the Nigerian health sector. He told Nigerians to blame his offence on the Nigerian system and not on him.
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Since joining the Nigeria's Civil Service, apart from salaries he had collected, other privileges enjoyed by Okpe while his imposition lasted were, he was a member and the chairman Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ministry of Health, Abuja. He was among the medical personnel trained for EBOLA management response in Nigeria and West Africa. His name has been shortlisted to be posted to Sierra Leone as part of EBOLA response volunteer team from Nigeria. 

Police authorities said, Okpe paraded at the Force headquarters yesterday will be charged to court next week. Presenting the suspect to the public, the Deputy Force Spokesman, Abayomi Shogunle said: Okpe a native of Ogbadibo LGA of Benue state dishonestly took away copies of the academic credentials of a friend named George Davidson Daniel, a medical doctor practicing in Jos without his knowledge and used same to secure appointment with the Federal ministry of Health in Abuja claiming his identity since 2006.

He has been parading himself as medical doctor in the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja for almost one decade and was among medical volunteers trained by the ministry in conjunction with the African Union Support to Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) in Liberia.

Martins Ugwu Okpe would soon be arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction for the offences of theft, impersonating a medical doctor, wearing and carrying token used by medical doctors, dishonestly receiving what he is not due for, framing of incorrect document with intent to cause injury, breach of official trust, criminal intimidation and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, all in contravention of section 288, 132, 133, 122, 124, 99, 398 and 399 respectively of Penal Code laws of the federal republic of Nigeria.

While admonishing Nigerians, Shogunle cautioned Nigerians to ensure diligence in keeping valuable documents to prevent themselves from falling victims of the likes of Okpe.