Mentally Ill Family of 5 Who Went Viral Last Week, Gets Help from Cross River Govt (Photo)

Federal Ministry of Health, through the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric hospital in Calabar, has rescued a family of five, who have been roaming the streets of Ogoja.

A statement from the Ministry of Health says the family of Mr. & Mrs. Ben Ogar popularly known as the Ogoja mentally deranged couple has been rescued following weeks of intense search by a team from the Cross River State Government and Federal Neuro Psychiatric hospital, Calabar, Cross River State.

Mr. Ben and his wife lost their means of livelihood about the same time six years ago while still resident in Abuja with their two kids, and what followed was a mental disorder leading to the Mr. Ben relocating himself and his wife to his country home in Ogoja where he opted to stay in a shanty rather than his father's house.

His family rescued his first set of kids from him when he started showing signs of this disorder, and six years of roaming the streets of Ogoja produced the three kids he was rescued with.

Doctors confirmed Mr. Ben to be suffering from a mental disorder, while his wife is only having the 'folie a deux' syndrome as a result of her husband's ideation.

The children, two girls and a boy, are in very stable condition and are responding to treatment very well.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, said the family are in stable condition and are respondting well to treatment. The family will be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society with continuous medical care and social welfare, she concluded.