Former Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike has accused officials of the Imo State Waste Management Agency and police officers of invading his hospital in Owerri, assaulting patients and staff and arresting workers, days after he publicly criticised state governors over alleged corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
The Imo State Police Command has since ordered what it described as a thorough and impartial investigation into the October 21, 2026 incident at Emenike Hospital.
Emenike, a member of Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad, disclosed the incident in a statement on his social media page, expressing concern over the safety of patients and healthcare workers at the facility.
He said the hospital was established after his football career in Europe as part of his effort to invest in his home state and provide healthcare services to residents.
“After representing my dear country on the international stage, playing in Europe and celebrating the trophy of winning the Africa Cup of Nations, I chose to bring my experience and success home to Imo State,” Emenike said.
“I invested in my community and built a hospital a place where people could seek care, find comfort and hold on to hope. It was a gesture of faith in my people and a commitment to helping my home state thrive.”
The former international said the events of October 21 had left him deeply concerned because of the impact on patients and workers.
“That is why the reports of what happened today, 21st October, 2026, at Emenike Hospital are so painful. A place built to care for people should never become a place where patients are afraid and staff are left feeling unsafe,” he said.
According to Emenike, persons identified as officials of the Imo State Waste Management Agency entered the hospital premises and allegedly assaulted staff and patients before taking away the hospital administrator and cashier.
He also alleged that armed police officers from Oji Police Station participated in the operation.
Emenike further claimed that the October 21 incident came weeks after an earlier episode at the hospital on September 25, when police officers allegedly entered the facility on the orders of the Divisional Police Officer of Owerri Urban Division.
He called on the relevant authorities to ensure the protection of the hospital community.
“We call on the hospital community to receive the protection and support it needs. Imo State deserves investment. Its people deserve safety. And every hospital should remain a place of care and hope,” he said.
Emenike tagged Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, the Nigeria Police Force and the Imo State Police Command in his post, drawing their attention to the incident.
The development came days after the former footballer publicly criticised some state governors over alleged mismanagement of public resources.
In an October 14 social media post, Emenike accused some governors of lacking development plans for their states and prioritising the alleged embezzlement of public funds.
“The arrogancy and confidence in some of these governors make me sick, and a lot of them don’t have good plans for the future of their state, zero plans; e.g., just embezzle money, and una police and army go still follow them with empty stomachs, jokers,” he wrote.
“Nigeria is finished and gone. We thought it was a country when we played, not knowing that it is an embezzlement ground. Embezzlement group of companies.”
Emenike did not identify any governor by name in .., and no evidence has been presented establishing a connection between those comments and the subsequent incident at his hospital.
Responding to the hospital incident, spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, Okoye Henry, confirmed that the command was aware of CCTV footage circulating on social media showing waste management officials and police officers at the facility.
Henry said three hospital workers were arrested over alleged violations of the state’s waste management laws but had since been released.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, had ordered a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the roles played by the police officers involved.
“The Command reiterates its commitment to professionalism, discipline, accountability, and respect for the rule of law. Any police officer found to have acted unlawfully or engaged in misconduct will face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with established procedures,” the police statement said.
The command urged members of the public to remain calm and assured that the matter would be handled fairly and in accordance with the law.
Emenike, meanwhile, maintained that the hospital was established to serve the people of Imo State and should remain a place where patients can receive treatment without fear and healthcare workers can perform their duties in safety.
.. “A Hospital Should Never Become A Place Where Patients Are Afraid” — Emenike Alleges Invasion Of Imo Facility, Police Order Probe … NewsNGR.
