Eight months after, Edo govt reveals cause of Okpebholo aide’s death

The Edo State Government has disclosed details surrounding the death of Alhaji Danjuma Garba, the Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Arewa Matters, nearly eight months after his passing.

The government said Garba’s death was linked to the treatment he allegedly received from a final-year medical student at a private hospital in the Uselu area of Benin City.

The disclosure was made on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, Dr Andrew Iyamu, during a press briefing organised by the Edo State Ministry of Information and Strategy in Benin City.

Garba died on January 10, 2026, following a brief illness.

Speaking about the dangers posed by unqualified medical practice, Iyamu alleged that Garba was being treated by a final-year student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), despite the student not yet being licensed as a medical doctor.

According to Iyamu, he became involved in the case while managing Garba from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

He said the individual claimed to have been serving as the deceased’s family doctor, a claim Iyamu rejected because the person was still a medical student.

Iyamu said, “A final-year medical student was treating this guy. Yes, I was managing him from UBTH. We caught him. I invited him to my office. He said he has been their family doctor.

“I said, shut up, what do you mean family doctor? Are you a graduate? You’re a final-year medical student, you’re a student. You shouldn’t treat anyone until you get your certificate.

“He met them and was begging. By the time efforts were made to transfer the late aide to a better-equipped facility, severe damage had already been done.”

The health official further claimed that Garba’s condition had deteriorated significantly before he could be moved from the private hospital to a better-equipped facility.

According to him, the treatment Garba allegedly received had left his heart too weak to effectively pump blood.

Iyamu said: “I said, see what you have done to this man. Before they took him to… before I could transfer him from the hospital he was in at that Uselu area to this place, the damage has already been done. The heart was too weak to pump blood.

“The kind of drugs they pumped him with and all that. He wasn’t seeing a cardiologist. You can’t be a jack of all trades.”

Iyamu said the government subsequently attempted to take action against the medical student but that the deceased’s family requested his release.

He explained that the family defended the student, saying he had treated members of the family for several years and regarded him as their doctor.

“They let him go. We handed him over to the family. They said, no, he’s a doctor. For more than five years, six years, this boy has been with them. A medical student. It’s wrong,” Iyamu said.

The circumstances, according to the health adviser, highlighted the dangers of allowing individuals who are not yet qualified medical practitioners to independently manage patients.

Edo govt warns against medical quackery
Iyamu also criticised medical practitioners who attempt to handle cases outside their areas of expertise rather than referring patients to specialists.

He said modern medicine was divided into various specialties and urged practitioners to refer cases when necessary.

“In medicine, we have sub-specialties.

“If it’s not your area, you give it to somebody else. That’s why we have sub-specialties in medicine. Also, people want to be a jack of all trades. You don’t want the money to go outside. You want to grab everything. It is wrong. That’s quackery,” he stated.

The government official said the state administration was taking steps to tackle unqualified medical practice, including through health monitors appointed by Governor Okpebholo.

Iyamu urged residents to seek treatment at properly equipped healthcare facilities where qualified medical professionals are available, particularly when dealing with serious medical conditions.

He said the state government remained committed to improving healthcare standards and preventing practices that could put patients’ lives at risk.