St. Philomena Catholic Hospital, Benin City, South-South Nigeria, has denied ownership of disturbing footage, circulating on social media, falsely maligning the integrity of the medical facility.
In a statement issued by the hospital’s management on January 28, 2026, the hospital’s administrator, Rev. Fr. Jerome Idebe, described the information contained in the video as false, disturbing, and malicious.
“We are appalled by the reckless and irresponsible manner in which this false information was disseminated, without thorough investigation or verification. Such actions are not only attempts to defame our good character but is also a gross injustice to our institution and its hard earned reputation”, he said.
The statement indicates that the said video contains disturbing footage of a male figure, falsely claiming to be a medical doctor of the medical facility, involved in some reprehensible, immoral act.
Fr. Idebe urged members of the public to disregard the information in the video, affirming that St. Philomena’s hospital “upholds the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and moral values… and will not tolerate any association with such heinous acts.”
The hospital management cautioned social media platforms and bloggers to exercise due diligence and verify information before sharing it to avoid the spread of misinformation and protect the reputation of responsible institutions.
According to him, the medical facility will not fail to take all necessary steps to protect her reputation and pursue all available legal avenues against those responsible for the malicious attack if it is not corrected.
The cleric observed that with the advent of digital media, social media has transformed news consumption in Nigeria, making it an instant and frequently used source for news, often outpacing traditional media.
He acknowledged that while it enhances rapid information sharing, social media also poses significant challenges regarding the spread of misinformation, fake news, and unverified reports.
St. Philomena Catholic Hospital is owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City, operating for over 60 years and functions as a private, not-for-profit institution dedicated to healthcare services under Catholic principles.
