A man posing as an eye specialist has been arrested in Akwa Ibom State after allegedly charging hundreds of villagers for unapproved treatments made from olive oil, juice and water.
The suspect, identified as Gabriel Gideon, was picked up by operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Thursday in Nsit-Ubium Local Government Area.
He was accused of running bogus eye clinics in three Itu LGA communities — Ikot Akpan Itam, Ikot Abasi Itam and Nung Ikot Itam — where he reportedly attended to more than 300 people in each location.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Friday, explaining that Gideon’s activities came to light following a tip-off from concerned residents.
“On Thursday, August 14, 2025, at approximately 12:05pm, operatives of the command received a tip from a concerned citizen regarding a man who was reportedly treating eye defects with unapproved substances,” the Force spokesperson said.
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Investigators said Gideon admitted he had no medical training and was not a certified ophthalmologist. It was noted that the suspect allegedly charged patients N500 apiece for the mixture, claiming it could cure various eye conditions.
A medical team from the State Ministry of Health, after examining the item retrieved from the suspects, confirmed that the concoction was yet unapproved.
