The management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, has arrested an elderly man accused of defrauding patients and their relatives within the hospital premises.
Hospital officials said the suspect, who is not an employee of ATBUTH, was detected by the SERVICOM Unit during routine surveillance operations.
According to the hospital’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Usman Koli, the man was apprehended during a night patrol after allegedly collecting ₦45,000 from relatives of a patient being treated for a gunshot injury.
Koli said the suspect falsely demanded ₦5,000 for a hospital smart card and ₦40,000 for drugs, despite the official cost of the smart card being ₦1,000 and the required medication priced at ₦18,150.
He added that ₦27,000 was recovered from the suspect, who has since been handed over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution.
Commending the SERVICOM team, the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Yusuf Jibrin Bara, reaffirmed the hospital’s zero-tolerance stance on extortion, impersonation and other unethical practices.
He urged patients and the public to report suspicious activities or demands for unofficial payments to SERVICOM desks or hospital authorities.
The hospital also warned against fraudsters posing as staff to solicit money for employment or appointments, stressing that no individual is authorised to collect payments or inducements for jobs or services at ATBUTH.
