Korede Abdullah 
BENUE, Nigeria – The Benue State Government has sealed St John’s Hospital in Otukpo after investigators uncovered severe breaches of medical standards, including a reported case in which a patient “had both breasts removed” without adherence to required clinical procedures.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, confirmed the shutdown on Saturday, saying the decision followed multiple complaints that triggered an enforcement inspection. The inspection team was led by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Agbadu Joshua, with support from the Nigerian Medical Association’s Anti-Quackery Committee.
Ogwuche said the team found the hospital operating in “a substandard and unsafe environment,” citing poor compliance with treatment protocols and inadequate clinical governance. He noted that the alarming breast-removal incident of 25 November intensified the government’s clampdown on malpractice. The Medical Superintendent has been served a query and directed to appear before the ministry on Monday.
Reiterating the state’s zero-tolerance for unsafe healthcare, the commissioner warned that Benue “will not hesitate to take firm action against any facility endangering patient lives.”
He urged medical professionals across the state to uphold ethical and clinical standards as the government continues its campaign against quackery and unlicensed operators.
The closure follows the recent shutdown of St Peter and Paul Community Health Centre in Lessel, reflecting the administration’s widening efforts to sanitise the health sector.
Residents and health advocates say the crackdown is overdue, adding that unsafe facilities pose grave risks to patients in rural and peri-urban communities. Officials meanwhile emphasise that the state remains committed to improving regulatory oversight while ensuring that only certified facilities deliver medical care.
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Otamere Gladness 
Oluwatobi Adu 