Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, a Nigerian medical doctor residing in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, United States of America, has been charged for illegally distributing opioids to patients at his clinic.

According to a statement on the website of the US Justice Department, the 63-year-old doctor made his first appearance at a US district court in Washington DC on April 12.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Recruits People to Steal From US Internal Revenue Service

Okafor allegedly distributed oxycodone, a semisynthetic, moderately potent, orally available opioid, to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington.

The doctor was also said to have performed hasty evaluations on individuals before soliciting and receiving cash inside the examination rooms of his clinic for opioid prescriptions.

Primarily, oxycodone works directly on opioid receptors in the central nervous system and reduces feelings of pain by interrupting the way nerves signal pain between the brain and the body.

READ ALSO: US-Based Nigerian Car Dealer Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering

The brand of opioid, however, has an acutely high addiction profile. It also has a psychoactive effect if more than a medically necessary amount is used.

Okafor has been charged with 16 counts of illegal distribution of the drug. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.