EFCC explains its visit to Uyo University Teaching Hospital

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has clarified the circumstances of its operatives’ visit to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday.

In a statement posted on its X account, the Commission said the visit by staff from its Uyo Zonal Directorate was intended to authenticate a medical report submitted by a suspect who is currently on remand before a Justice of the Federal High Court, Uyo, on allegations of fraud.

The EFCC noted that the suspect had produced a medical report that required verification by the hospital’s management.

“The Tuesday, May 12, 2026, visit of operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State was informed by the need to authenticate a medical report presented by a suspect under remand by Justice M.A Onyetunu of the Federal High Court, Uyo, for allegedly defrauding multiple micro finance banks, including University of Uyo Micro Finance Bank.

“The suspect had presented a medical report which required authentication by the UUTH management. The Commission wrote two different letters, dated March 11, 2026 and April 20, 2026, to the hospital management to this effect without receiving any response. The Investigating Officer handling the matter took the further step of visiting the hospital to enquire about the status of the request. Still, no response,” the statement read.

The Commission said operatives later approached the Chief Medical Director of the hospital on Tuesday as a final effort to obtain clarification, but claimed they encountered resistance.

“As a last resort, operatives of the Commission visited the Chief Medical Director of the hospital on Tuesday to make further enquiries, only to be locked in with a false alarm and subjected to unprovoked attack by misguided staff of the facility who pelted them with stones and other dangerous objects,” it stated.

The EFCC further alleged that the CMD ordered the hospital gates to be closed, preventing a lawful exit, while police authorities in Akwa Ibom State reportedly advised that the gates be opened to allow the operatives to leave peacefully.

“While within the hospital, the CMD reportedly directed that gates of the facility be shut, making it impossible for any lawful enquiry to be made. Police authorities in Akwa Ibom State advised the CMD to open the hospital gates to enable the operatives exit the premises peacefully but the entreaties were turned down,” the statement added.

Despite the confrontation, the Commission said its operatives exercised restraint and eventually departed without disrupting the hospital’s activities.

“In spite of the hostility and provocation, there was no breakdown of law and order as the operatives exercised restraint and professionally made their ways out of the hospital premises without disrupting its activities,” it said.

The EFCC emphasized that its operational engagements are lawful and urged the public and institutions to cooperate with the agency during investigations, warning that obstruction of its duties constitutes a criminal offence.

“Enquiries bordering on operational engagements of the Commission are lawful. It is therefore necessary to remind the public and corporate bodies that they are obligated to cooperate with the agency in such circumstances. Contrary action could be deemed as obstruction, which is criminal with attendant legal consequences,” it stated.

PUNCH Online reported that the hospital was thrown into crisis after the raid, which allegedly led to the arrest of several staff members and an indefinite strike by doctors and health workers.

Eyewitnesses said EFCC operatives, together with police officers, removed the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Effiong Ekpe, and three other staff members.

Some staff members claimed the clash resulted in injuries to several people and damage to phones that were used to record the incident.

File: University of Uyo Teaching Hospital

Following the incident, the Nigerian Medical Association in Akwa Ibom State and the Joint Health Sector Unions called for a total shutdown of services, describing the action as unacceptable.

Dr. Gabriel Eyo, public relations officer of the Nigerian Medical Association, confirmed the incident and described the EFCC’s action as an onslaught on the hospital and its workers.

“In the early hours of this morning, masked men wearing EFCC jackets stormed into the hospital premises, walked into the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee’s (CMAC) office, Prof. Effiong Ekpe, and they beat him to a pulp.

“They dragged him like a common criminal. When members of staff, students and other health workers walked into the hospital tried to resist them, and they shot sporadically into the air at the hospital premises and dispersed the crowd with tear gas.

“The NMA just had a meeting of its members, so we’ve begun the indefinite strike. The resolutions will be made public very soon.

“A lot of injured people that were asthmatic. I think our NMHL man is asthmatic so he is having reactions to ETH gas because people that we believe will struggle and we can’t actually quantify the figure as of this point in time,” he stated.

However, Baba Azare, Commissioner of Police for the Akwa Ibom State Command, said police officers were deployed alongside the EFCC on the instruction of a court in an ongoing case and maintained that the operation was lawful and coordinated with hospital authorities.